India, Oct. 10 -- Amid a lack of attendance from Arab leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called off the Russia-Arab conference, a debut event that he hoped would bolster his influence in the region.

The Russia-Arab conference, which was supposed to be held in Moscow on October 15, was one of the most important foreign policy initiatives this year, according to the Kremlin.

The conference was aimed at sending a message to Western leaders, particularly US President Donald Trump, that Russia had support and influence across the Arab World, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the event preparations.

While the last-minute cancellation is disappointing, the Kremlin is sure that the conference can be rearranged for a ...