Russia's outgoing President Vladimir Putin will begin a visit to Libya Wednesday, in a move aimed at strengthening his country's influence in the Middle East.

Energy, debt and arms will dominate the discussions during the visit, one of his last before stepping down in May.

Russia to strengthen influence in Middle East

The oil-rich African state had been an important partner of the former Soviet Union. But after the breakup of the bloc, relations between the two countries petered out as Russia's influence in the Middle East dwindled.

In recent years, Russia's national strength has grown considerably and the country is making efforts to strengthen its influence in the Middle East.

"On April 16-17, 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Libya at the invitation of the head of the Libyan revolution Moamer Kadhafi," the Kremlin said Monday in a statement.

Putin's visit comes as Libya is being rehabilitated back in to the international community after years of isolation.

Libya's role in Africa and the Middle East has been strengthened since 2003, when the United Nations lifted 11 years of sanctions against it. This role is expected to be further enhanced with Libya becoming a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from Jan. 1, 2008.

In December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Libya, paving the way for the upcoming summit.

Lavrov had said after his visit to Libya that a package of agreements would be inked during the summit.