Boris Johnson sweated as he arrived in Saudi Arabia. It was not just because of the heat. He was on a mission to charm the leader, Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS).

Johnson had done well even to get there. US president Joe Biden had failed to get a phone call. 

Saudi Arabia is the world's second-largest oil producer, pumping up 12,402,761,040 barrels per day. The third-largest, with 11,262,746,200, is Russia. 

Vladimir Putin has threatened to cut off oil and gas imports to the West. Instead, Biden and Johnson want Saudi Arabia to release more oil for Western countries.

For Europe and the US, turning to the Middle East could solve a problem. It will stop oil prices from rising further and making life difficult for ordinary people.

But many people have criticised Biden and Johnson for turning to Saudi Arabia. The country has a poor human rights record - even worse than Russia's. Putin imprisons dissidents. But Saudi Arabia flogs and executes them.

MBS is believed to have ordered the murder of a journalist called Jamal Khashoggi. 

The Saudi army is currently fighting a devastating war in neighbouring Yemen which has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia is a cruel regime. But difficult times involve difficult choices. According to UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, MBS does "not pose a threat to global security in the way that Vladimir Putin does". 

Some argue that Saudi Arabia is changing for the better, while Russia is going backwards. MBS inherited a monarchy. Since then, he has reduced censorship and widened women's rights. Putin came to power in a democratic election. But since, he has tip-toed closer and closer to tyranny. 

Yes: No nation is entirely innocent. Many are corrupt and engage in war. But Putin's invasion of Ukraine should be resisted whatever the cost.

No: Saudi Arabia may not tamper with the world's order as much as Russia. But it is much smaller and without nuclear weapons. If it had Russia's power, it could be just as bad. 

Or...? To call one country better than another is to call states moral agents. Countries are more like animals, run by instinct and self-preservation.