Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Riyadh on Monday the place he met with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and different officers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.
Gulf monarchies have strived to stay impartial within the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The talks between the Saudi prince and Russian minister centered on “latest worldwide and regional developments,” the official Saudi Press Company reported.
Earlier on Monday, Lavrov met with overseas ministers of the GCC, a Riyadh-based organisation comprising Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, all historically companions of america.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of crude oil, has carefully collaborated with Moscow on oil coverage, however has ties with each Moscow and Kyiv since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has positioned itself as a possible mediator.
The Gulf monarchy has acquired Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on a number of events, together with throughout his participation in an Arab League summit in Might 2023 in Jeddah.
The dominion has promised tons of of tens of millions of {dollars} in humanitarian help to Ukraine, together with for Ukrainian refugees who’ve fled to neighbouring nations.
Throughout a press convention, GCC Secretary Basic Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi careworn the “neutrality” of the entire Council.
He instructed reporters that the GCC nations “stand at equal distance” between Russians and Ukrainians.
The United Arab Emirates introduced in late August that it had mediated a prisoner alternate between Ukraine and Russia, resulting in the discharge of 230 captives.
Emirati mediation in June resulted in a prisoner of conflict alternate involving 90 prisoners from all sides.
In September 2022, Riyadh helped free a number of overseas fighters held in Ukraine, together with two People and 5 Britons.
