Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Arrives in Saudi Arabia Ahead of Summit with US

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, meets with Prince Saud bin Mishaal, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia's Makkah region, center right, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, meets with Prince Saud bin Mishaal, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia's Makkah region, center right, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
TT

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Arrives in Saudi Arabia Ahead of Summit with US

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, meets with Prince Saud bin Mishaal, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia's Makkah region, center right, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, meets with Prince Saud bin Mishaal, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia's Makkah region, center right, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, March 10, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived Monday in Saudi Arabia for a visit ahead of his team's meeting with America's top diplomat.

While Zelenskyy himself won't be there, his team will try to repair the damage done when his Feb. 28 visit to Washington descended into an Oval Office argument with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

At stake is the military aid and intelligence previously offered by the United States that had helped Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Saudi state television reported Zelenskyy's arrival in Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea where the Ukraine-US summit will take place Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was en route to Jeddah as well. However, it didn't appear that Rubio and Zelenskyy would meet in person there.

Zelenskyy has said a team including his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will take part in the talks Tuesday. Rubio will lead the American team.

If Ukraine and the US reach an understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administration’s push to peace talks. However, the rest of Europe remains skeptical as it has been sidelined.

The European Union last week agreed to boost the continent’s defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administration's shift in stance on Ukraine.



MWL Denounces Mosque Bombing in Pakistan’s Capital

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
TT

MWL Denounces Mosque Bombing in Pakistan’s Capital

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, the Saudi Press Agency said Saturday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Mohammed Al-Issa denounced the attack as a grave crime that violates all religious and humanitarian values, stressing the sanctity of human life and places of worship.

He reaffirmed the MWL’s rejection of violence and terrorism in all forms and expressed full solidarity with Pakistan in safeguarding its security and stability. Al-Issa also offered condolences to the victims’ families and the Pakistani people, praying for mercy for the deceased and a swift recovery for the injured.

A suicide blast at a mosque in Pakistan's capital Islamabad killed at least 31 people and wounded scores more during Friday prayers.


Arab, Slovenia FMs Discuss Gaza Peace Efforts

The foreign ministers meet in Ljubljana on Friday. (SPA)
The foreign ministers meet in Ljubljana on Friday. (SPA)
TT

Arab, Slovenia FMs Discuss Gaza Peace Efforts

The foreign ministers meet in Ljubljana on Friday. (SPA)
The foreign ministers meet in Ljubljana on Friday. (SPA)

The foreign minister of several Arab countries and Slovenia met in Ljubljana on Friday to discuss efforts to boost regional and international security and stability, with focus on the Gaza Strip.

The meeting was attended by Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi, Egyptian FM Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Bahraini FM Abdullatif Al-Zayani, and Qatari FM Sultan Al Muraikhi and Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon.

The FMs stressed the need to respect and fully implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement. They discussed the need to deliver sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to the enclave.

They tackled efforts to ensure the success of the peace plan launched by US President Donald Trump, and progress towards the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution.

The ministers discussed the situation in the occupied West Bank, stressing the need to halt illegal unilateral Israeli measures there and Israeli violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, which are deepening tensions and undermining all de-escalation efforts.

The ministers commended Slovenia's support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and its recognition of the State of Palestine based on the two-state solution.

The talks also addressed developments in the region, ways to reduce tensions through negotiation and dialogue, and efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.


Erdogan: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Eye Joint Investment in KAAN Fighter Jet

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 
TT

Erdogan: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Eye Joint Investment in KAAN Fighter Jet

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh (Turkish Presidency). 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said work has begun on a defense cooperation agreement between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia that includes joint investment in the production of the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet.

Erdogan said Türkiye’s progress in defense industries is being closely followed by Saudi Arabia, as well as by other countries, adding that Ankara is preparing to conclude significant agreements with Riyadh in this field.

Speaking to a group of Turkish journalists on his return from a regional tour that included Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with his remarks published on Thursday, Erdogan said: “We have received many positive comments on the Turkish fighter KAAN, and discussions are under way on joint investment with Saudi Arabia in this regard.”

He stressed that KAAN is not merely a combat aircraft but a symbol of Türkiye’s engineering capabilities and its determination to maintain an independent defense posture. He added that cooperation with Saudi Arabia in this area is likely to expand, including through joint investments.

In February 2024, Türkiye announced the successful first flight of its domestically produced fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN, manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries. With this milestone, Türkiye became one of only five countries capable of producing fifth-generation fighter aircraft and aims to export the jet.

KAAN is designed to carry out air-to-air combat missions and conduct precision strikes from internal weapons bays at supersonic speed.

Erdogan said he held “highly productive” talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, noting that Saudi Arabia holds a special place for Türkiye in defense industries, transport, healthcare, investment, and construction services. Bilateral trade reached $8 billion in 2025, while Turkish contractors have completed more than 400 projects in the Kingdom worth a total of $30 billion.

He added that Saudi Arabia and Türkiye share aligned views on regional issues, stressing that both countries oppose any new war in the region and favor peace, stability, and calm, which he said would benefit all parties.