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Ukrainian President to Visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcomed upon his arrival in the UAE. (AFP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcomed upon his arrival in the UAE. (AFP)
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Ukrainian President to Visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcomed upon his arrival in the UAE. (AFP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcomed upon his arrival in the UAE. (AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, one day after a meeting there between top Russian and US officials, the Ukrainian leader’s spokesman told AFP.

Zelenskyy had announced the trip along with stops the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Türkiye last week without giving dates, adding he had no plans to meet Russian or US officials.

Sergiy Nykyforov said Zelenskyy would visit Saudi Arabia with his wife as part of a “long-planned” official visit.

His trip will come one day after Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meets US officials as part of what the Kremlin says are efforts to repair Moscow’s ties with Washington.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed on Monday in Saudi Arabia where he met with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Earlier on Monday, Zelenskyy was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi for talks on bilateral relations.

Sheikh Mohamed hoped Zelenskyy’s visit would further boost bilateral relations across various sectors, reported the UAE’s state news agency (WAM).   

The leaders discussed various aspects of cooperation, particularly in the fields of the economy, investment, development, renewable energy, and food security, as well as other areas aligned with both countries’ developmental priorities.   

Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to fostering effective international partnerships across different sectors to achieve shared progress and prosperity.   

He underlined the UAE’s consistent approach of supporting peaceful solutions to crises, underscoring that development can only be achieved in a stable environment. He reiterated the UAE’s commitment to backing all efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict and continuing initiatives to mitigate its humanitarian impact.   

He thanked Zelenskyy for the Ukrainian government’s cooperation in supporting the UAE’s mediation efforts in the exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia. He noted that this collaboration reflects confidence in the UAE’s role in alleviating the humanitarian consequences of the conflict.   

For his part, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his commitment to bolstering cooperation between Ukraine and the UAE, highlighting the numerous opportunities available across various sectors. He expressed his appreciation to Sheikh Mohamed for the UAE’s sustained diplomatic efforts in facilitating prisoner exchanges and its humanitarian focus on the crisis.   

Zelenskyy traveled to the UAE late Sunday as momentum grows for potential peace talks ending Moscow's war on the country.

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Gulf

Kuwait Arrests Hezbollah Cell Plotting Attacks on Key Facilities

Brig. Gen. Nasser Bousleib, the Interior Ministry’s official spokesperson. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Brig. Gen. Nasser Bousleib, the Interior Ministry’s official spokesperson. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Kuwait Arrests Hezbollah Cell Plotting Attacks on Key Facilities

Brig. Gen. Nasser Bousleib, the Interior Ministry’s official spokesperson. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Brig. Gen. Nasser Bousleib, the Interior Ministry’s official spokesperson. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday evening that state security forces had thwarted a terrorist cell linked to Hezbollah that was planning to target vital installations in the country.

Brig. Gen. Nasser Bousleib, the ministry’s official spokesperson, said in a statement that the cell consisted of 10 Kuwaiti nationals. The suspects had reportedly received training in camps affiliated with Hezbollah, including instruction in operating drones.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the State Security Service had “successfully foiled a terrorist plot targeting vital facilities in the country” following extensive surveillance and security investigations.

Authorities said the 10 suspects, described as members of a terrorist group affiliated with the banned organization Hezbollah, had engaged in prior planning and coordination with external actors.

They allegedly sought to establish intelligence contacts to supply coordinates of targeted sites, posing a direct threat to national security.

Members of the cell had undergone training abroad in Hezbollah-run camps, including weapons handling and drone operation, as part of preparations for sabotage attacks aimed at undermining state sovereignty, destabilizing the country, and spreading fear among the public.

The suspects have provided detailed confessions, said the ministry.

It stressed that it would act “with the utmost firmness” against anyone found to be involved in undermining national security or cooperating with such groups, warning that it would not hesitate to take decisive action against any threats.

Safeguarding Kuwait’s security remains a top priority, it said, emphasizing that authorities will continue efforts to track down those behind such plots and pursue the harshest legal measures without leniency or exception.

On Monday, the ministry announced the arrest of another terrorist group affiliated with Hezbollah that had been attempting to destabilize the country and recruit individuals to join the group. Authorities said 14 Kuwaiti suspects and two Lebanese nationals were detained.

Officials seized weapons, ammunition, encrypted communication devices, drones, and narcotics from the suspects.

Gulf

Saudi Defenses Destroy Ballistic Missiles, Drones Fired at Riyadh, Eastern Region

Spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Defense Major General Turki Al-Malki. (SPA)
Spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Defense Major General Turki Al-Malki. (SPA)
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Saudi Defenses Destroy Ballistic Missiles, Drones Fired at Riyadh, Eastern Region

Spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Defense Major General Turki Al-Malki. (SPA)
Spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Defense Major General Turki Al-Malki. (SPA)

Spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Defense Major General Turki Al-Malki said on Thursday that the Kingdom’s defenses intercepted and downed 12 drones and a ballistic missile fired at the Eastern Region.

Late on Wednesday, defenses thwarted two drone attacks against a gas facility in the Eastern Region. No damage was reported.

Al-Malki said defenses also shot down four ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh. Debris from one of the missiles fell near a refinery south of the capital.

Defenses also intercepted and destroyed six drones in the Eastern Region and one in the al-Kharj Governorate.

Gulf

Riyadh Consultative Meeting: Regional Countries Will Not Stand Idly by against Threats

The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Riyadh Consultative Meeting: Regional Countries Will Not Stand Idly by against Threats

The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
The foreign ministers pose for a family photo during their consultative meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

Foreign ministers of Gulf, Arab and regional countries condemned on Thursday Iran’s flagrant violation of principles of good neighborliness and of the sovereignty of nations, saying it will have grave repercussions against it and the security of the Middle East.

“Iran's attacks will cost it highly and impact relations with the countries and peoples of the region that will not stand idly by as they are threatened,” they warned in a statement after holding a consultative meeting in Riyadh.

The meeting brought together the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, Pakistan and Azerbaijan to discuss the Iranian escalation and efforts to bolster coordination to protect regional stability.

In a statement, the gatherers strongly condemned Iran’s rocket and drone attacks on the Gulf, Jordan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and its targeting of residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, water desalination plants, airports and diplomatic districts.

“The attacks cannot be justified under any excuse,” they stressed, saying they were a violation of sovereignty of nations and international law.

They held Iran “fully responsible for the losses”, saying the countries reserve the right to defend themselves.

Moreover, they warned Iran of the danger of supporting militias, urging it to “seriously reconsider is miscalculations and immediately and unconditionally cease its attacks and commit to United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

They urged Iran “to respect international and humanitarian laws and the principles of good neighborliness as a first step towards ending the escalation and achieving security and stability in the region”. They called for diplomacy to resolve crises.

“The future of relations with Iran depends on the respect of the sovereignty of countries and non-interference in their internal affairs and refraining from attacking their sovereignty and territories in any way, shape or form,” they demanded.

It must also refrain from using its military capabilities to threaten regional countries, they added. It must stop supporting, financing and arming its militias in Arab countries.

Iran must also refrain from threatening or impeding marine navigation in the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Straits.

The FMs also expressed their support for Lebanon’s security, stability and territorial integrity. Lebanon must have sovereignty across its territories.

They stressed their backing of the Lebanese government’s decision to impose state monopoly over weapons, while condemning the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and its expansionist ambitions in the region.

The FMs said they will continue to hold intense consultations to follow up on the developments to come up with joint positions and take the necessary measures to protect their security, stability and sovereignty and stop the heinous Iranian attacks against their countries.