MOSCOW (AP) — Saudi King Salman arrived in Moscow Wednesday on the first ever visit by a Saudi monarch to Russia.

As part of the four-day trip, the king is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for talks in the Kremlin expected to focus on the global oil market and the conflict in Syria.

Ties between the two countries were often strained in the past. During Cold War times, the Saudis helped arm Afghan rebels fighting against the Soviet invasion.

More recently, tensions were high over the war in Syria, in which Russia has staunchly backed Syrian President Bashar Assad wh...