Ukraine says Saudi-hosted peace talks productive, Russia calls them doomed
- Officials from more than 40 countries met in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah in an attempt to resolve the war in Ukraine
- But 18 months after Russia invaded Ukraine, any prospect of direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow appears remote
A senior Ukrainian official said on Sunday that talks in Jeddah to make headway towards a peaceful settlement of the war with Russia had been productive, but Moscow called the meeting a doomed attempt to swing the Global South behind Kyiv.
More than 40 countries, including China, India, the United States, and European countries, but not Russia, took part in the Jeddah talks that concluded on Sunday with the participants agreeing on the importance of continuing consultations to pave the way for peace, according to a closing statement released by Saudi Arabia.
Ukraine and its allies have said the talks are an attempt to secure broad international support for principles that Kyiv wants to be the basis for peace, including the withdrawal of all Russian troops and the return of all Ukrainian territory to its control.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wants a global summit to take place based on those principles later this year.
Saudi Arabia’s Media Ministry said participants had agreed on the importance of continuing consultations to pave the way for peace. European officials have said participants planned to establish working groups to address specific problems raised by the war.
Eighteen months after Russia invaded Ukraine, any prospect of direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow appears remote.