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In Riyadh, Putin receives czar-like reception

Russia and Saudi Arabia sign a dozen business deals but it is unclear whether Syria disagreements were resolved.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attend a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 14, 2019.  Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1D85D15B10
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attend a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 14, 2019. — Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — When Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud came to Moscow in October 2017, a popular joke in the city about the size of his motorcade was that it had as many vehicles as there were letters in the royal’s full name.

In Riyadh, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s motorcade was composed only of his Aurus Senat limousine but it was the 16 beautiful Arabian horses that accompanied the vehicle that showed the Saudis intended to give him a reception fit for a czar.

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