Saudi Arabia held a peace conference in Ukraine, Russia was not invited

Jakarta, Klinik Farma – Saudi Arabia plans to bring together several countries to meet in Jeddah this weekend. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Ukraine’s peace proposal for war.

Riyadh plans to invite Ukraine to the event along with 30 guests, including China, Chile, Egypt, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, the UK, the US (US) and Zambia. In addition, Ukraine will also be involved.

On the other hand, it is said that Russia will not participate in this meeting. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that any peace efforts “deserve a positive assessment.”

“It remains to be fully understood what goals have been set and what exactly the organizers plan to talk about,” he told Newsweek, quoted on Friday (04/08/2023).

The event in Jeddah will be the second peace summit organized on the advice of Ukraine, after the June summit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Kyiv is hoping to garner more support for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan.

Zelensky has so far outlined 10 peace points. Its points included the complete withdrawal of Russia from Ukraine within the 1991 borders, compensation for war damage, and the prosecution of Russian leaders for war crimes.

But this idea was categorically rejected by the Kremlin. Moscow, which has opened the door to discussions, said the talks should be based on “new realities,” including recognition of the Kremlin-annexed 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and chairman of the agency’s foreign affairs committee, said Russia’s rejection of Zelensky’s proposal was based on the assumption that Moscow intended to colonize Ukraine.

“There is no point in inviting Russia at all, because it will never play a constructive role and is not interested in peace,” Merezhko said.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic efforts in the Russo-Ukrainian war itself are now embracing many of the developing nations of the Southern Hemisphere. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is at the forefront of Kyiv’s public relations campaign to influence these countries from Russia.

“India, Brazil and South Africa are the main targets of Ukrainian diplomats. Our diplomacy and parliamentary diplomacy pay more attention to relations with the Global South,” Merezhko explained.

Nevertheless, Merezhko acknowledged that it was not easy to convince these countries. Brazilian President Lula da Silva said last Wednesday that neither Putin nor Zelensky was ready for real peace talks. India also avoided taking sides.

“India is hard to convince, but our argument is that it is the largest democracy in the world and should not ignore the genocide committed by Russia against Ukraine.”

[Gambas:Video CNBC]