RIYADH: On Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, made his most recent trip to Saudi Arabia, a Gulf nation that has aimed to maintain its neutrality in the country’s conflict with Russia, according to Saudi official media.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency, Zelensky was welcomed by Saudi authorities, including the ambassador to Ukraine and the national security adviser, upon his unexpected visit to the Red Sea city of Jeddah. No information about his itinerary was provided right away.
Russia and Saudi Arabia collaborate closely on energy policy. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the conflict by highlighting its connections to both cities. Saudi Arabia is the largest crude exporter in the world.
In order to garner support and attendance for a peace summit that is set to take place in Switzerland this weekend, Zelensky has been traveling the globe in recent weeks. He has visited nations with deeper ties to Russia in the Middle East and Asia in addition to the EU’s traditional allies.
The head of Ukraine traveled to Singapore, the Philippines, and Qatar earlier this month.
About ninety-five countries are expected to send representatives to Switzerland to debate Kyiv’s plan to stop the war. Zelensky has personally visited with a number of authorities and persuaded them to come.
Diplomats in the Gulf area reported last week that Saudi Arabia has not yet confirmed if it will attend the conference.
Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Kyiv reported that eight people had died and twenty more had been injured in a Russian strike on Kryvyi Rig, his birthplace.
