DUBAI, August 6. /TASS/. Participants in the consultations on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah have agreed to continue consultations and the exchange of views, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
"The participants agreed on the importance of continuing international consultations and exchanging opinions in order to build a common ground that will pave the way for peace. They also emphasized the importance of benefiting from views and positive suggestions made during this meeting," it said.
According to the agency, representatives from over 40 countries and international organizations, including Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany, Egypt, India, Qatar, China, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Chile, and the United Nations, took part. "This meeting comes as a continuation of the efforts and good offices of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, that His Royal Highness has been exerting in this regard since March 2022," the agency said. Russia was not invited to the meeting.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly announced its readiness to act as a go-between in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and expressed its support to any efforts geared toward a political settlement of the conflict. On February 26, 2023, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud paid the first-ever visit to Ukraine. On March 9, he visited Moscow to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Addressing a news conference after the talks, he said that the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2022 was organized with personal participation by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.