On Saturday, talks on the war in Ukraine commenced in Saudi Arabia, which Kyiv considered difficult due to the divergent positions of the participating countries. This marks a new political endeavor by the kingdom to play a diplomatic role on the international stage.

Participants in the meetings, attended by representatives from around 40 countries, began in the afternoon in the coastal city of Jeddah.

According to the agenda seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the sessions were scheduled to include three hours of statements from various delegations, followed by two hours of closed-door discussions, and finally, a working dinner.

On Friday, before arriving in Jeddah to lead his country’s delegation, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said, “I expect the talks not to be easy,” adding, “We have many disagreements and have heard many positions, but it is important for us to share our ideas.”

He continued, “Our mission is to unite the whole world around Ukraine.”