Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the United Arab Emirates Friday, his first trip to an Arab country since the start of the civil war in 2011.
Assad met with the de facto ruler of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and the Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, in a sign that gulf leaders who initially supported a rebellion against him are ready to welcome Damascus back into the Arab fold.
The surprise visit comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Assad, pushes ahead with a more than three week old war on neighboring Ukraine.