Saudi Arabia to Invest $10B Into Russia's Government Run Fund

As relationships with the West remain frosty, Vladimir Putin is looking East for a warmer reception. Saudi Arabia has announced that its sovereign wealth fund will invest $10 billion into the Russian economy over the next five years. The money will be invested with the government run Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) which will focus on infrastructure, agriculture and health care projects as well as some retail and real estate investments. The fund also forged a deal with the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority; the partnership would allow both countries to source investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Commentators have noted that the deal could be a politically motivated one aimed at rebuilding relationships with Russia and ending the civil war in Syria.