Saudi Arabia will be a ‘comfortable’ venue for talks to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, as stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the BRICS summit on Saturday (October 19, 2024). President Putin emphasized his strong personal relationship with the Saudi royal family and highlighted that the main obstacle to the peace process is Ukraine’s unwillingness to engage in dialogue with Russia to end the conflict that began in February 2022.
President Putin expressed his confidence in Saudi Arabia as a friendly nation, noting his positive relations with the King and Crown Prince. He praised Saudi Arabia’s sincere efforts in mediating conflicts and stated that holding events in Saudi Arabia would be favorable for Russia.
Saudi Arabia has been actively involved in resolving conflicts, including the Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine issues. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman led the Saudi delegation at the recent EU-GCC summit in Brussels on October 16.
President Putin mentioned the negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian teams facilitated by Turkey, which resulted in a draft agreement. He also acknowledged the contributions of China, Brazil, and other BRICS member countries in the peace process. Russia is closely monitoring the ongoing dialogue efforts to bring an end to the conflict.
The conflict in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, with Russian military actions, leading to various peace initiatives by multiple countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently advocated for peace since the conflict’s inception, engaging with both Ukrainian and Russian leaders. National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Doval’s visit to Moscow in September further demonstrated India’s commitment to peace efforts.
President Putin highlighted Ukraine’s refusal to engage with Russia as the primary obstacle to achieving peace. He reiterated Russia’s readiness to resume negotiations and accused Ukraine of hindering the process by issuing a decree against dialogue with Russia.
Published – October 20, 2024 12:47 am IST
