Zelenskiy Says Hopes 'Jeddah Talks' to be Stepping Stone to Peace

Ukrainian and Western officials have said the summit would not involve Russia - AP
Ukrainian and Western officials have said the summit would not involve Russia - AP
TT

Zelenskiy Says Hopes 'Jeddah Talks' to be Stepping Stone to Peace

Ukrainian and Western officials have said the summit would not involve Russia - AP
Ukrainian and Western officials have said the summit would not involve Russia - AP

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he hoped a Ukraine "peace summit" could be held this autumn, and that this week's talks in Saudi Arabia were a stepping stone towards that goal.

Zelenskiy told Ukrainian diplomats in a speech published on the president's website that almost 40 countries would be represented at the meeting in Jeddah on Aug 5 and 6.

"We are working on making it (the summit) happen this fall," he said.

"Autumn is very soon, but there is still time to prepare for the summit and involve most of the world's countries."

Also, Andriy Yermak,Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, affirmed in a tweet that there are preparations for the next meeting of national security advisers regarding the implementation of the Peace Formula, "which will soon take place in Saudi Arabia".

"It was one of my speech points at the Congress of local and regional authorities under the Ukrainian President," he added.

Zelenskiy and his team are working with allies to build broad support for a "peace summit" that would endorse principles to underpin a settlement to end the war started by Russia's full-scale invasion almost 18 months ago.

The summit would build on a 10-point plan outlined by Kyiv last autumn that has been actively promoted by Zelenskiy.

His vision for peace calls for the full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and a full withdrawal of Russian troops, the protection of food and energy security, nuclear safety, the release of all prisoners, and other points.

No venue has been agreed for the summit yet.

 

 



Interpol: 37 Suspected Terrorists Arrested in East Africa

A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
TT

Interpol: 37 Suspected Terrorists Arrested in East Africa

A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo

Thirty-seven suspected terrorists, including suspected members of ISIS, have been arrested across east Africa over the last two months, the global police body Interpol said on Monday.

Interpol, which is headquartered in France, said the arrests had been made in November and December during operations conducted jointly with the pan-African police body Afripol.

The arrests come as concerns mount over a possible resurgence of the ISIS militant group, after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

On New Year's Day, fifteen people were killed after a US Army veteran flying an ISIS flag from his truck swerved around makeshift barriers and drove into crowds in New Orleans.

Interpol said the operations in Africa had resulted in the arrests of 17 people, including two suspected ISIS members, in Kenya, and the arrest of a suspected member of ISIS Mozambique in Tanzania.
Others were arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

"East Africa's complex landscape, marked by political instability, porous borders, and socioeconomic challenges, continues to provide an environment conducive to terrorist activity," said Cyril Gout from Interpol.

"These positive results demonstrate the power of international collaboration in the fight against terrorism," he added.