(VOVWORLD) - A senior Ukrainian official said on Sunday that talks in Saudi Arabia to make headway towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Russia had been productive, but Moscow called the meeting a doomed attempt to swing the Global South behind Kyiv.
 Representatives from countries around the world attend a national security advisors' meeting in Jeddah in this image released on August 6, 2023. (Photo: AFP) |
More than 40 countries, including China, India, the United States, and European countries, but not Russia, took part in the Jeddah talks that ended on Sunday.
Ukraine and its allies called the talks an attempt to secure broad international support for principles that Kyiv wants to be the basis for peace, including the withdrawal of all Russian troops and the return of all Ukrainian territory to its control.
Saudi Arabia’s Media Ministry said participants had agreed on the importance of continuing consultations to pave the way for peace. European officials have said participants planned to establish working groups to address specific problems raised by the conflict.
Speaking about the Jeddah talks, Zelenskiy’s head of staff Andriy Yermak said in a statement: “We had very productive consultations on the key principles on which a just and lasting peace should be built.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by state media on Sunday as saying the meeting was “a reflection of the West’s attempt to continue futile, doomed efforts” to mobilise the Global South behind Zelenskiy’s position.
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