Saudi Arabia aims to host talks to discuss way to peace in Ukraine

According to sources, Saudi Arabia aims to host discussions next weekend to discuss a way to peace in Ukraine, bringing together representatives from Kyiv, Western powers, and developing nations.

Russia will not attend the summit in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, as it did not attend a similar event last month in Copenhagen, according to three Gulf officials briefed on the arrangements.

A complete list of attendees was not available, but authorities claimed that countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan were anticipated to participate.

The Saudi-hosted discussions were initially reported by the Wall Street Journal, which stated that emerging nations such as Brazil, who attended the Copenhagen summit, were also anticipated in Jeddah.

The move represents the latest effort by Saudi Arabia to assert itself in diplomacy related to the Ukraine war.

In May, the kingdom hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at an Arab League summit in Jeddah, where he accused some Arab leaders of turning “a blind eye” to the horrors of Russia’s invasion.

Riyadh has backed UN Security Council resolutions denouncing Russia’s invasion as well as Russia’s declared annexation of territory in eastern Ukraine.

At the same time, it has continued to coordinate closely with Russia on energy policy, including oil production cuts approved last October that Washington said at the time amounted to “aligning with Russia” in the war.

Last September, Riyadh played an unexpected role in brokering the release of foreign fighters detained in Ukraine, including two from the United States and five from Britain.

Earlier this year, a Saudi official told journalists that Riyadh remained open to contributing to mediation to end the conflict, especially “on important minor issues that may help cumulatively in the end to have a political solution of the whole issue”.

As of February, Saudi Arabia had pledged $400 million in relief to Ukraine, about two-thirds in oil products and one-third in other humanitarian aid, including allocations for Ukrainian refugees who fled to neighbouring countries.

Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday about the upcoming talks in Jeddah.