Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. According to the Associated Press, he intends to discuss a peace plan regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine and the return of prisoners of war from Russia during his meeting with Mohammed bin Salman, the powerful Saudi Crown Prince. Zelensky's visit comes as Mohammed bin Salman has sought to position himself as a potential mediator to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. This effort by bin Salman occurs even as Riyadh closely aligns its oil policies with Russia through the group of countries known as 'OPEC Plus.' Zelensky stated in a message on the social media platform 'X' that Ukraine continues to rely on 'active and ongoing support from Saudi Arabia' to advance what he described as a 'peace formula' to end Russia's full-scale invasion. The war between Russia and Ukraine recently marked its second anniversary. A senior Ukrainian official said on Sunday that Ukraine and its foreign partners could invite Russia to a peace summit in the future to discuss the end of Moscow's two-year invasion under conditions set by Kyiv. According to Reuters, Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky's office, stated that Switzerland will host a meeting to discuss the peace prospects of Volodymyr Zelensky, which could later be presented to Russia. Yermak said in a televised conference in Kyiv, 'There may come a time when we jointly invite representatives of the Russian Federation, and this plan is presented to them so that anyone representing the aggressor country at that time genuinely wants to end this war and return to a just peace.' Zelensky first announced his peace plan in November 2022 at the G20 summit of major economies. Ukraine: 409,820 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war. Ukraine has proposed the idea of holding a 'peace summit' with the presence of Russia. Western solidarity with Kyiv; EU aid will continue until Ukraine's 'final liberation.' Zelensky: Delays in sending foreign aid have made the situation at the front lines 'very difficult.'
Zelensky Arrives in Saudi Arabia to Advance Peace Plan
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Saudi Arabia to discuss a peace plan with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid ongoing efforts to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This visit highlights Saudi Arabia's emerging role in international diplomacy despite its close ties with Russia through OPEC Plus.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Saudi Arabia to discuss a peace plan with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aiming to mediate the ongoing conflict with Russia. The meeting underscores Saudi Arabia's emerging role in international diplomacy despite its ties to Russia.
- Zelensky's peace plan was first announced in November 2022 at the G20 summit.
- Saudi Arabia is part of OPEC Plus, which has close oil ties with Russia.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing for over two years, with various countries seeking to mediate peace. Saudi Arabia's involvement reflects its ambitions to enhance its global diplomatic stature.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%