Senior officials from around 40 nations, except Russia, will gather for a weekend meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the goal of formulating fundamental guidelines for ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, hailed the diversity of nations participating in the negotiations, which got underway on Saturday. This included developing nations that were particularly severely impacted by the rise in food prices brought on by the conflict.
“This is very important because, on issues such as food security, the fate of millions of people in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world directly depends on how fast the world moves to implement the peace formula,” he said.
President Zelenskyy expressed his aspiration that this move would pave the way for a global gathering of leaders during the upcoming autumn, dedicated to endorsing the principles outlined in Ukraine’s 10-point formula for conflict resolution.
Among the crucial components of Ukraine’s formula are demands for the acknowledgment of its territorial integrity and the removal of Russian forces from areas that Moscow claims to have annexed.
The forum excludes Russia, which has rejected Ukraine’s peace formula. The Kremlin said it will “keep an eye” on the meeting.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week that Russia would “need to understand what goals are set and what will be discussed”.
“Any attempt to promote a peaceful settlement deserves a positive evaluation,” he said.
Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen, reporting from Kyiv, said the summit was important for Ukraine as it presented an opportunity to reach out to nations that have remained neutral, including India and Brazil.
The participation of China, a steadfast ally of Russia, was particularly noteworthy. Vaessen continued, “What Ukraine truly hopes is that China will support Zelenskyy’s peace plan.
China, which claims to be a third party to the war but has come under fire from Western capitals for delaying to denounce the invasion of Ukraine, announced on Friday that it would send Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui to the Jeddah talks.
“We have many disagreements and we have heard different positions, but it is important that our principles are shared,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Chinese ministry, Wang Wenbin, stated that China is committed to collaborating with the international community to actively contribute to finding a political resolution to the crisis in Ukraine.
China and Russia have repeatedly emphasized their strong relationship, particularly after Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin declared an extensive partnership in February 2022 during Putin’s visit to Beijing.
However, tensions arose when China’s embassy in Russia criticized the treatment of five Chinese citizens denied entry into Russia, stating that it was inconsistent with the overall amicable relations between the two nations.
Saudi Arabia also played a significant role in the recent talks, expressing its readiness to use its influence to help achieve a lasting peace. As the world’s largest crude exporter and closely aligned with both Russia and Ukraine on oil policy, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the conflict.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s rehabilitation on the global stage was facilitated in part by the energy crisis stemming from the Ukraine war. Although isolated following the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia’s stance against Russia’s invasion and annexation in Ukraine has bolstered its international significance.
The recent meeting between key parties follows informal talks organized by Ukraine in Copenhagen in June, which did not yield an official statement.
In May, Saudi Arabia hosted Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at an Arab League summit in Jeddah, where he called out some Arab leaders for turning a blind eye to the atrocities of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.
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