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.



GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
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GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the legitimate Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias to de-escalate the situation with regard to the Yemeni banking sector and airlines.

The agreement was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Tuesday.

Albudaiwi expressed the GCC's support for all regional and international efforts and the efforts led by the UN special envoy aimed at achieving peace and security in Yemen.

The announcement underscores the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, he added, hoping the agreement will pave the way for Yemeni parties to start the political process, under UN auspices, to reach a comprehensive political solution that achieves security and stability in the country.

He reiterated the GCC's continued support and full solidarity with Yemen, its government and people, and its keenness to encourage all efforts to de-escalate and maintain stability in order to reach peace.