In Saudi Arabian Jeddah, representatives from almost 40 countries discussed ways to end the Ukraine war. The meeting organized by Kyiv without the participation of Russia ended on Saturday evening after several hours of deliberations and talks behind closed doors. European diplomatic circles reported that there was agreement on central points of a peace solution, such as the “territorial integrity and sovereignty” of Ukraine.
As expected, no final statement was released after the meeting. European diplomatic circles said that the “territorial integrity and sovereignty” of Ukraine should be “at the heart of any peace agreement” according to the will of the participants.
The almost 40 participating countries included Western countries such as the USA and Germany, but also emerging countries such as China, India and South Africa as well as developing countries. From European diplomatic circles it was said that China had “actively” participated and expressed “positive” views on a possible further meeting of this kind.
Brazil: Also include Russia
In his statement, the head of the Brazilian delegation, Celso Amorim, called for “genuine negotiations to include all parties,” including Russia. “Even if Ukraine is the biggest victim, if we really want peace, we must involve Moscow in some way in this process,” Amorim’s speech read, seen by AFP.
Ukraine had previously expressed the expectation that the talks would be “not easy”. But “the truth is on our side,” said Andriy Yermak, chief of staff at Ukraine’s presidential office, in an interview published on Friday.
Yermak led the Ukrainian delegation in the Saudi Arabian coastal city on the Red Sea. “We have many disagreements and we have heard many positions, but it is important that we share our principles,” he explained. “Our task is to unite the whole world around Ukraine.”
The meeting took place at the level of national security advisers. Jens Plötner, foreign policy adviser to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), represented the federal government. The US delegation was led by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
The aim of the meeting in Jeddah was the “consolidation of various peace plans” from China, Africa and Brazil, for example, with the ten-point plan drawn up by Ukraine, it said in the run-up to the conference from Berlin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plan includes, among other things, the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
Saudi Arabia and China
The talks in Jeddah underscored “Saudi Arabia’s willingness to do its good offices to contribute to a solution that will lead to lasting peace,” Saudi Arabia’s official news agency SPA wrote on Friday. Pro-government expert Ali Shihabi told AFP the meeting showed the success of Saudi Arabia’s “multipolar strategy”.
China, which says it wants to remain a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, sent its special envoy for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, to Jeddah. “China stands ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the Ukraine crisis,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in advance.
In a speech on Friday, Zelenskyi welcomed the participation of developing countries hard hit by the war-induced rise in food prices. “This is very important because on issues like food security, the fate of millions of people in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world depends directly on how quickly peace can be achieved,” he said. Russia recently canceled the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, which works closely with Russia on oil policy, has reiterated its ties with the two sides and positioned itself as a possible mediator in the Ukraine war. The Jeddah meeting followed talks in Copenhagen in June, which were informal and resulted in no official statement.
#Jeddah #Brazil #urges #Russian #involvement