Chief of Staff of Ukrainian Presidential Office Andriy Yermak speaks throughout a press convention with member of the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War after a gathering with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Viacheslav…
DUBAI, Aug 5 (Reuters) – Senior officers from some 40 nations together with the U.S., China and India held talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday that Kyiv and its allies hope will result in settlement on key rules for a peaceable finish to Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
The two-day assembly is a part of a diplomatic push by Ukraine to construct help past its core Western backers by reaching out to Global South nations which have been reluctant to take sides in a battle that has hit the worldwide economic system.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who hopes to agree rules for a summit of world leaders that he’s in search of on the difficulty within the autumn, mentioned it could be necessary to carry bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Jeddah assembly.
Speaking on Saturday, he acknowledged there have been variations among the many nations attending, however mentioned the rules-based worldwide order should be restored.
“Different continents, different political approaches to world affairs. But all are united by the priority of international law,” he mentioned.
Russia is just not attending, although the Kremlin has mentioned it’ll control the talks. Ukrainian, Russian and worldwide officers say there isn’t any prospect of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at current, with the conflict raging.
A European Union official mentioned there could be no joint assertion after the assembly, however that the Saudis would current a plan for additional talks, with working teams to debate points akin to world meals safety, nuclear security and prisoner releases.
The official described the talks as optimistic, and mentioned there was “agreement that respect of territorial integrity and (the) sovereignty of Ukraine needs to be at the heart of any peace settlement”.
The world’s high oil exporter Saudi Arabia, which has maintained contacts with each side since Russia invaded Ukraine final February, has performed a task in convening nations that didn’t be a part of earlier conferences, Western diplomats have mentioned.
China, which didn’t attend a earlier spherical of talks in Copenhagen, is sending Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, Beijing mentioned on Saturday. China has stored shut financial and diplomatic ties with Russia for the reason that battle started and has rejected calls to sentence Moscow.
“We have many disagreements and we have heard different positions, but it is important that our principles are shared,” he mentioned.
Indian National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval has additionally arrived in Jeddah for the talks, the Indian embassy in Riyadh mentioned on social media on Saturday. Like China, India has stored shut ties with Russia and refused to sentence it for the conflict. It has ramped up imports of Russian oil.
Of the opposite nations within the BRICS group with Russia, China and India, South Africa has despatched President Cyril Ramaphosa’s safety adviser Sydney Mufamadi, and Brazil’s high overseas coverage adviser, Celso Amorim, will be a part of by videolink.
SAUDI DIPLOMACY
Western officers and analysts mentioned Saudi diplomacy had been necessary in securing China’s presence at the talks.
Under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, generally known as MbS, the dominion has sought an even bigger position on the world stage and has pushed to develop ties with main powers exterior the outdated framework of its relationship with the U.S.
Riyadh has labored with Moscow in recent times on oil market coverage and, together with Turkey, it helped mediate a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia final 12 months. Zelenskiy attended an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia final 12 months the place MbS voiced readiness to assist mediate within the conflict.
Saudi Arabia has additionally constructed a more in-depth relationship with China over the previous 12 months, giving an effusive welcome to Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visited Riyadh in December, and in search of to affix the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
In March, Beijing brokered a resumption of ties between Saudi Arabia and its arch regional foe Iran.
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Middle East fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute, mentioned China’s attendance despatched a sign of help for Saudi Arabian diplomacy that constructed on different areas of latest Chinese-Saudi cooperation.
“Chinese participation in the talks is a boost to the Saudi narrative that their convening power and ability to leverage relationships is qualitatively different to Western parties,” he mentioned.
However, China’s presence doesn’t point out it’ll finally conform to the outcomes sought by Ukraine and its allies, mentioned Yun Sun, director of the China programme at the Stimson Center in Washington.
“Participating in a meeting only suggests the willingness to listen and discuss. It by no means suggests that China has to agree to anything in the end,” Sun mentioned.
Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Warsaw, Maha El Dahan and Omar Abdel-Razek in Dubai, Michael Martina in Washington, Aftab Ahmed in New Delhi, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Jan Harvey
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
