Ukraine announces peace talks in Saudi Arabia It will include Western and developing nations

CNN says Saudi Arabia is set to host Ukraine peace talks with the participation of Western and several developing nations. Caliber.Az reprints the article.

“We are preparing the next meeting of advisers to the leaders of the states regarding the implementation of the Peace Formula of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which will soon take place in Saudi Arabia,” Yermak said.

The talks, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, will involve Ukraine, Western nations, and key developing countries, including India and Brazil - but Russia will not be a participant.

While Yermak did not provide specific dates for the summit, the Journal reported that the meeting is due to take place in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah from August 5 to 6.

Yermak said that "each point of the Peace Formula is being discussed in an individual and group format with representatives of more than 50 countries of the world on an almost weekly basis," referring to Zelenskyy's 10-point plan he presented to world leaders at the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last year. The steps include a path to nuclear safety, food security, a special tribunal for alleged Russian war crimes and a final peace treaty with Moscow. 

Yermak said that the goal of the talks is “to unite the world around Ukraine.”

"The evidence of this goal is obvious: we involve the countries of the West, the East, the North, and the South," he added. 

On July 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Moscow has never rejected peace negotiations with Ukraine. In order to start the process to end the war, an agreement is needed from both sides, but it's difficult to reach one while Ukraine's army is on offense, the Russian leader said.

While Zelensky repeatedly said in the beginning months of Russia's full-scale invasion that he wanted to meet face-to-face with Putin, he has since ruled out any peace negotiations with Russia until Moscow’s troops withdraw from his country’s territory. Zelensky said allowing any negotiations while another nation's military is occupying Ukraine would only "freeze" the war, pain, and suffering caused by Putin's invasion.