Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih have agreed to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector, Russia's ministry said in a statement after their meeting in Moscow. Novak and Falih also agreed to work towards a comprehensive bilateral agreement.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's nominee for a top State Department Middle East post said on Thursday he would dissuade countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt from weapons deals with Russia that could trigger U.S. sanctions. "I would work with our allies to dissuade them, or encourage them, to avoid military purchases that would be potentially sanctionable," David Schenker, the nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, said at his Senate confirmation hearing. "In other words, I would tell Saudi Arabia not to do it," he said. Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, had asked Schenker whether he agreed that reported purchases of Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile systems by Saudi Arabia and Qatar would trigger U.S. sanctions under a sweeping sanctions law that Congress passed overwhelmingly last year.