The Saudi Press Agency "SPA" reported that "the Kingdom is hosting today, Saturday in Jeddah, a meeting of national security advisers from several brotherly and friendly countries regarding the Ukrainian crisis." This meeting is part of the humanitarian initiatives and efforts by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as the communications he has had with the Russian and Ukrainian leadership since the early days of the crisis. The report also mentions "the Kingdom's readiness to engage in goodwill efforts to contribute to achieving a lasting peace, and its support for all efforts and initiatives aimed at alleviating the effects of the crisis and its humanitarian repercussions."
According to SPA, the Saudi government hopes that this meeting will "enhance dialogue and cooperation" through the exchange of views, coordination, and discussions at the international level on ways to peacefully resolve the Ukrainian crisis in a manner that promotes international peace and security and prevents the world from facing further humanitarian, security, and economic repercussions of the crisis.
**China**
On Friday, China announced it would send a senior official to Saudi Arabia to attend talks aimed at finding a peaceful settlement to the war in Ukraine, discussions from which Russia will not participate, marking a diplomatic shift from Kyiv, the West, and Saudi Arabia. Ukrainian and Western diplomats hope the meeting in Jeddah, involving national security advisors and other senior officials from about 40 countries, will result in consensus on basic principles for a future peaceful settlement to end the Russian war in Ukraine.
**Zelensky**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes this initiative will lead to a "peace summit" attended by leaders from around the world in the upcoming fall to support these principles, based on his own 10-point plan for reaching a settlement. His plan includes respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity and the withdrawal of Russian troops, which Moscow refuses, claiming it has permanently annexed Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian, Russian, and international officials say there is currently no chance for direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia due to the ongoing war and Kyiv's efforts to regain territory through a counteroffensive. However, Ukraine aims to expand its diplomatic support beyond its core Western backers by engaging countries in the Global South such as India, Brazil, and South Africa, most of which publicly maintain a neutral stance.
**Kremlin**
Earlier this week, the Kremlin commented that it would monitor the Jeddah meeting while reiterating Moscow's position that it currently sees no basis for peace talks with Kyiv. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, "We need to understand the specific objectives and what will be discussed. Any attempt to reach a peaceful settlement deserves a positive assessment."
Western diplomats doubt that all ten points of Zelensky’s peace plan will be agreed upon during the talks, but they said they seek at least clear support for the principles stated in the UN Charter, such as territorial integrity.
**Saudi Diplomacy**
A German official noted that Saudi diplomacy played a crucial role in urging Beijing to attend the Jeddah talks. Ukrainian and Western officials indicated that the Kingdom's decision to host the meeting reflects Riyadh's desire to play a prominent diplomatic role in efforts to resolve the crisis. Senior officials from the United States are set to attend the Jeddah talks, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland.
