Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has expressed his readiness to mediate in the war between Moscow and Kyiv which left massive economic impact across the globe.
In his opening speech at a summit of the Arab League, he said “We reaffirm the kingdom’s readiness to continue mediating efforts between Russia and Ukraine, and to support all international efforts aimed at resolving the crisis politically in a way that contributes to achieving security.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also attended the summit in Saudi Arabia to canvas support for his people.
Also at the Jeddah gathering, Arab leaders warmly welcomed back into their fold Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad — who has received heavy support from Russia in his country’s civil war — following a decade of isolation.
President Zelenskiy, who was scheduled to participate in the G7 summit in Hiroshima, expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its previous support and announced that he would share his 10-point peace plan with the attending delegates. He urged them to engage directly with Ukraine, bypassing intermediaries.
While Western nations have exerted pressure on Gulf oil producers to isolate Russia, a fellow member of OPEC+, the Gulf states have aimed to maintain a neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict.
During his speech at the summit, President Zelenskiy expressed his disappointment with certain countries, including Arab League members, for seemingly ignoring Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory and the imprisonment of Ukrainian citizens during the 15-month conflict. He emphasized the need for unity in freeing individuals from Russian prisons.
In a diplomatic success last year, Crown Prince Mohammed of Saudi Arabia facilitated the release of 10 foreigners who had been captured by Russia in Ukraine. This achievement was attributed to his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following his arrival in Jeddah, President Zelenskiy took to Twitter, acknowledging the significant role played by Saudi Arabia and expressing readiness to enhance their cooperation.
Saudi Arabia faced criticism from the United States regarding an OPEC+ decision to reduce oil production, which was seen as benefiting Russia by boosting oil prices. However, subsequent market dynamics have proven the prudence of those production cuts.
With Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine causing disruptions in global energy markets, the role of Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil exporter has gained increased importance to both the United States and Russia.
