Saudi Arabia to host Ukraine talks in early August: Media report
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Special Operation Forces near the front-line town of Bakhmut, in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK - Saudi Arabia is set to host talks in August on Ukraine, inviting Western states, Ukraine and major developing countries including India and Brazil, reported the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.
The meeting would bring senior officials from up to 30 countries – including Indonesia, Egypt, Mexico, Chile and Zambia – to Jeddah on Aug 5 and 6, the report said, citing diplomats involved in the discussion.
Ukraine and Western officials hope that the talks, which exclude Russia, would lead to international backing for peace terms favouring Ukraine, it said.
The Kremlin, which claims to have annexed around a sixth of Ukraine, has said that it views peace talks with Ukraine as possible only if Kyiv accepts “new realities”, a reference to its territorial claims.
Kyiv says negotiations with Russia would be possible only after Moscow withdraws its troops.
Among the invited countries, it is not yet clear how many will attend, although countries that took part in a similar round of talks in Copenhagen in June are expected to do so again, the report said.
Britain, South Africa, Poland and the European Union are among those that have confirmed attendance, and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is expected to attend, it added.
REUTERS
