Saudi Crown Prince, Zelenskyy Discuss Ukraine-Russia Crisis

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, receives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, receives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince, Zelenskyy Discuss Ukraine-Russia Crisis

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, receives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, receives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, stressed on Tuesday the Kingdom’s keenness on supporting all international efforts aimed at resolving the Ukrainian-Russian crisis to restore peace.

Crown Prince Mohammed received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh.

He added that Saudi Arabia will continue efforts to ease the impact of the humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Zelenskyy discussed cooperation between their countries and the latest developments in the conflict.

Zelenskyy praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts towards resolving the crisis.

Ukraine continues to “rely on Saudi Arabia's ongoing active support” in pushing forward with what has been described as a “Peace Formula” to end the full-scale invasion, which marked its second anniversary over the weekend, Zelenskyy said in a message on X, formerly Twitter, before he arrived in Riyadh.

Zelenskyy has presented a 10-point peace formula that, among other things, seeks the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes — at a time when the two sides are fighting from largely static positions along a roughly 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line. Such ideas are rejected out of hand by Moscow.   

“The second topic is the return of POWs and deportees,” Zelenskyy wrote. “The Kingdom’s leadership has already contributed to the release of our people. I am confident that this meeting will also yield results.”    

He added that economic cooperation also would be discussed in Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom has previously acted as a mediator in prisoner swaps between Ukraine and Russia.



Saudi Arabia Urges Syria Sanctions Relief at Talks with Regional, EU Diplomats

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
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Saudi Arabia Urges Syria Sanctions Relief at Talks with Regional, EU Diplomats

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

Saudi Arabia on Sunday called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria after meetings with top diplomats from the Middle East and Europe that focused on the war-ravaged country's future.

"We stressed the importance of lifting unilateral and international sanctions imposed on Syria, as their continuation hinders the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said after Sunday's talks concluded in Riyadh.
The agenda included a meeting of Arab officials as well as a broader gathering that also included Türkiye, France, the European Union and the United Nations.
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the main opposition group in the alliance that overthrew Bashar Al-Assad, is pushing for sanctions relief. His administration is represented at the Riyadh talks by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

This month Saudi Arabia sent food, shelter and medical supplies to Syria by land and by plane.

"We also emphasized the importance of continuing to provide various forms of humanitarian and economic support, as well as efforts to build the capacity of the Syrian state, achieve stability, and facilitate reconstruction," Prince Faisal said in his statement.

"This includes creating a conducive environment for the return of Syrian refugees."