Ukraine Summit in Saudi Arabia
Respect for borders and sovereignty were the main principles stressed at the meeting in Saudi Arabia this weekend, devoted to restoring peace in Ukraine
Daniela Budu, 07.08.2023, 14:00
Officials from dozens of countries around the world analyzed, in a closed-door meeting held in Saudi Arabia, possible solutions to ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Riyadh specifically wanted Brazil, India, China and South Africa to take part in these discussions, states that together with Russia form the BRICS group. According to Kyiv, the talks in Jeddah were not easy at all. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the Ukrainian delegation presented its ten-point peace plan, which provides for the total withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
In turn, the head of the presidential administration in Kyiv, Andrii Yermak believes that the meeting reaffirmed the support of the participating countries for the principle of the inviolability of borders. He said that different points of view were presented regarding the key principles of the Ukrainian peace formula, but all those present expressed their countries’ commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, including international law and respect for sovereignty. Moreover, the head of the presidential office stated, the representatives of the Ukrainian delegation discussed defense, security guarantees, investments, the importance of holding a global summit for peace, as well as the grain agreement. Russia did not participate in the summit, but the Kremlin said it would monitor the talks.
Romania, represented in Saudi Arabia by the former Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, currently a presidential adviser, expressed his firm support for the peace formula proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Any future peace must guarantee Ukraine’s security within its internationally recognized borders and the freedom to pursue its sovereign elections without interference. Romania will continue to stand by Ukraine as long as it takes to win this war, Bogdan Aurescu said.
We recall that the last round of Russian-Ukrainian peace negotiations took place in March last year in Istanbul. Subsequently, Kyiv made any negotiations with Moscow conditional on the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the restoration of its internationally recognized borders. Moreover, Kyiv wants the establishment of a tribunal to judge the war crimes attributed to the Russian military forces, guarantees for the security of the nuclear power plants and additional security guarantees in the Euro-Atlantic area.
Russia, on the other hand, claims that it is ready for peace negotiations, but calls on Kyiv to recognize the new territorial realities, referring to the territories occupied by Russian military forces. The annual session of the United Nations General Assembly due in September would provide another opportunity for Ukraine to make its case. The country is also planning a summit later in the fall to bolster support for its ten-point peace formula, hoping it will form the basis of any future deal. (MI)
