NB Explains | Why is Saudi Arabia hosting a summit on Ukraine? India's role in it-

Saudi Arabia will be organizing discussions on Ukraine in August, inviting Western governments, Ukraine, and important emerging countries such as India and Brazil, according to the Wall Street Journal.

 

 

 

According to diplomats participating in the discussions, the summit would gather top officials from up to 30 nations, including Indonesia, Egypt, Mexico, Chile, and Zambia, to Jeddah on August 5 and 6.

 

 

However, in a surprising twist, the Kingdom has decided to exclude Russia from the mediation process, extending a formal invitation to India instead. This decision marks a clear snub to Russia and signals a potential shift in alliances in the region. As tensions continue to escalate, the international community watches closely as India takes on the role of mediator, adding a new dimension to the complex geopolitical landscape. The talks are expected to be closely monitored by global leaders as the world holds its breath for a potential breakthrough in this critical international standoff.

 

Ukraine and Western officials believe that the discussions, which exclude Russia, would result in international support for peace conditions favorable to Ukraine, according to the statement.

 

The Kremlin, which claims to have seized around one-sixth of Ukraine, has stated that peace negotiations with Ukraine are only feasible if Kyiv recognizes "new realities," a reference to its territorial claims.

 

The Kremlin, which claims to have seized around one-sixth of Ukraine, has stated that peace negotiations with Ukraine are only feasible if Kyiv recognizes "new realities," a reference to its territorial claims. Negotiations with Russia, according to Kyiv, will be feasible only once Moscow withdraws its soldiers.

 

 

It is unclear how many of the invited countries will attend, however, countries that participated in a similar round of discussions in Copenhagen in June are likely to do so again, according to the article. Britain, South Africa, Poland, and the EU have all confirmed their presence, and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is scheduled to go as well.

 

Why

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in May attended an Arab League summit in Jeddah to press those nations to back Kyiv.

Saudi Arabia has also maintained a close relationship with Russia as part of the OPEC+ group.

Hosting such talks could help raise the profile of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to reach a detente with Iran and push for a peace in the kingdom's years-long war in Yemen.

A sore point

The summit comes at a time when ties between Riyadh and the West remain strained over the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, which US intelligence agencies assess that Prince Mohammed ordered.