Representatives from 40 countries attend Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia
The Ukrainian government announced on Sunday that representatives from approximately 40 countries participated in peace talks hosted by Saudi Arabia over the weekend. The attendees agreed that any peace treaty to end Russia’s war against Ukraine must be based on respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the principles outlined in the U.N. Charter.
Russia did not participate in the talks, but China, a long-time ally of Russia, attended the gathering in Jeddah. Igor Zhovkva, deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, confirmed that China did not object to the principle of respecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskyy’s office, expressed satisfaction with the productive consultations on the key principles of a just and lasting peace.
Zelenskyy sees the Jeddah gathering as a step towards a global peace summit, which he hopes to organize in the coming fall. Yermak stated that the discussions in Jeddah were a significant step towards practically implementing Ukraine’s 10-step peace formula. The participants showcased their commitment to the U.N. Charter, international law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
The meeting in Saudi Arabia included representatives from 42 countries and the U.N., who participated either online or in-person. It is worth noting that China did not attend similar peace talks in Denmark in June. Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko described the start of these negotiations as an important historical event, highlighting the support for peace based on the U.N. Charter and international law from countries not only in the West but also in the Global South.
Alongside the peace talks, Yermak held bilateral meetings with EU countries and Turkey to discuss various topics, including the export of Ukrainian grain. He expressed hope that neighboring countries would refrain from introducing unilateral restrictive measures on Ukrainian agricultural products after September 15.
The exclusion of the Kremlin from the talks was a result of its previous rejection of Ukraine’s peace formula. Kremlin spokesman Dmitrii Peskov stated that Russia would closely monitor the talks. Despite Russia’s claims of being open to discussions, it refuses to withdraw from the occupied territories of Ukraine.
When asked if Russia intends to occupy new Ukrainian territories, Peskov responded that they only aim to control the land currently written into their constitution, referring to Crimea and territories in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, which Russia illegally annexed last year. Peskov also stated that there are currently no grounds for a peace agreement with Ukraine.