MOSCOW (AP) — In a major break with decades of rivalry, Russia and Saudi Arabia on Friday struck a slew of deals, including contracts for Russian weapons as part of a groundbreaking first visit by a Saudi monarch.

The Kremlin talks between Saudi King Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin mark a thaw in relations between the countries, which have often been tense since the Cold War times when the kingdom supported of Afghan rebels fighting the Soviet invasion in the 1980s.

Observers say that Riyadh's decision to boost ties with Moscow reflects the expanded clout Russia has won in the Midd...