Jeddah: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, a nation ravaged by conflict, made an unexpected appearance at the 32nd Arab League summit on Friday.
In a surprising turn of events, Ukrainian President Zelensky’s arrival at the Arab League gathering hosted by Saudi Arabia caught everyone off guard, and he was warmly received by the Saudi authorities. Notably, the flight carrying President Zelensky was fully occupied.
According to reports from Arab News, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had recently arrived in Jeddah ahead of the meeting, wasted no time and promptly attended the summit. In his address to the delegates, he emphasized that Ukraine was not merely facing a conflict but rather a full-fledged war. Furthermore, he expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s mediation efforts, which led to the release of prisoners of war last year.
Seizing the opportunity, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman remarked, “We lend our support to any initiatives aimed at de-escalating the crisis in Ukraine, and we fervently hope that the humanitarian situation in the country does not deteriorate further. Saudi Arabia, along with Russia and Ukraine, remains committed to the continuation of mediation efforts.”
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed his message to the Arab League summit via cable on Friday. In his communication, he assured that Russia would continue extending all feasible assistance to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict. Additionally, President Putin expressed Moscow’s intent to broaden its multilateral cooperation with Arab nations and reiterated its readiness to support initiatives addressing the crises in Sudan, Libya, and Yemen.
