Zelenskyy in Saudi Arabia to push for peace, POW deal with Russia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sought to position himself as a potential mediator to end war between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held talks in Saudi Arabia with the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an attempt to push for an end to the invasion of Ukraine and the return of prisoners of war from Russia. “The head of state noted in particular Saudi Arabia’s strivings to help in restoring a just peace in Ukraine,” the statement said. “Saudi Arabia’s leadership can help find a just solution.” The state-run Saudi Press Agency said that MBS had “affirmed the Kingdom’s keeness and support for all international endeavours and efforts aimed at resolving the Ukrainian-Russian crisis”. Ukraine continues to “rely on Saudi Arabia’s ongoing active support” in pushing forward with what has been described as a “Peace Formula” to end the full-scale invasion, which marked its second anniversary over the weekend, Zelenskyy said in a message on X. Zelenskyy has presented a 10-point peace formula that, among other things, seeks the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes – at a time when the two sides are fighting from largely static positions along a roughly 1,500km front line.