Talks between Putin and Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are taking place in the Kremlin.

Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are taking place in the Kremlin on April 17.

The Russian Head of state stressed that relations between Russia and Qatar continue to strengthen, calling Doha one of Moscow's main partners in the Middle East. Among the priority areas of cooperation, Putin noted the transport sector, the oil and gas sector and investments.

The President recalled that Qatar is a key partner of Rosneft, and about $1 billion has been invested in the Russian economy through the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

"About a billion dollars have been invested in our economy through the RDIF, and I am sure there are much more prospects, and we have many interesting projects," the Russian leader said during the talks.

Special attention was paid to the situation in the Middle East. According to Putin, Qatar plays an important role in the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He stressed that a long-term solution is possible only on the basis of the creation of two states.

The situation in Syria was also discussed during the talks. The Russian President confirmed his interest in preserving the Syrian state as a unified and sovereign one. The parties touched upon the issue of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.

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The Emir of Qatar arrived in Russia on an official visit earlier on April 17. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also noted on April 16 that a wide range of issues would be discussed during his visit to Russia, and the Emir of Qatar and the Russian leader would certainly exchange views on the conflict in Ukraine.