United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Saint Petersburg to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the need to keep Russia-Ukraine dialogue open.

President Putin provided a detailed brief to Sheikh Mohamed on the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine and on Russia's efforts to maintain nuclear security, state news agency WAM reported Wednesday.

Sheikh Mohamed said that UAE is continuing to monitor the situation at the plant.

President Putin expressed Russia's appreciation for the UAE's efforts in playing a key role in the prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, saying they are a testament to its readiness to support mediation efforts.

Sheikh Mohamed briefed the Russian President on the Ukrainian side's position on a number of issues.

The UAE President also emphasized the need to keep the dialogue between Russia and Ukraine open, while President Putin stressed that Russia is keen on the continuation of the UAE's mediation efforts.

The two leaders also “underscored the ongoing rapid growth seen across the UAE-Russia relations and their satisfaction with such growth,” WAM reported.

Sheikh Mohamed’s Russia visit was announced Monday.

The UAE’s foreign ministry said at the time the visit aimed to help reach “effective political solutions” to the Ukrainian crisis, WAM reported.