{O/C} Syrian President Bashar al-Assad paid a visit to the Arab leader on Friday, the first time since Assad was embroiled in the civil war that broke out in 2011.
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Assad met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates as well as the ruler of Dubai.
The two discussed expanding bilateral relations between the two countries.
This visit signals the Arab world's willingness to re-engage with Syria's once widely-shunned president. This comes amid the ceaseless civil war in Syria and the Ukraine crisis that's showing no signs of abating.
Syria has openly supported Russia's invasion, denouncing Western leaders for joining forces to provoke the attack.
Syria was notably expelled from the 22-member League of Arab States, or LAS, after the Syrian conflict broke out 11 years ago, for which Syria is widely condemned. Hundreds of thousands have perished, with half of Syria's population displaced.
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