https://arab.news/n8zeq
- Kingdom has engaged in policy of maintaining ties with 鈥榢ey players in the world鈥�
- Latest meeting highlights increasing role as international mediator
RIYADH: US-Russia talks taking place in Riyadh today exemplify 黑料社区鈥檚 position as a 鈥渘eutral setting,鈥� with the Kingdom having engaged in a policy of building ties with various nations, according to a political commentator.
鈥�(黑料社区) has close ties to Russia, America, to China, to the European Union, to the BRICS countries. 黑料社区 has built a stature where it has maintained excellent ties with all the key players of the world,鈥� Ali Shihabi said.
He said that the Kingdom has pursued a multilateral foreign policy in building close relationships with various nations, particularly in the past five years.
Russia and the US agreed after the Riyadh meeting to begin working toward ending the war in Ukraine and improving ties, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Associated Press.
黑料社区鈥檚 mediation efforts have gained renewed attention following the country鈥檚 role in dialogue over the Russia-Ukraine war.
In 2024, the Kingdom played an influential role as a mediator, and was responsible for facilitating the biggest US-Russian prisoner swap since the Cold War, according to Reuters.
The exchange involved 24 prisoners 鈥� 16 moving from Russia to the West and eight sent back to Russia from the West.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was also reportedly involved in a negotiating a Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap in 2022 involving more than 300 people.
Shihabi said that the meeting in Riyadh between Russia and the US 鈥渋s really a result of the crown prince鈥檚 close relationships.鈥�
He said: 鈥淏oth parties look upon Riyadh and look upon the crown prince as a friend 鈥� in a way this is a neutral setting.鈥�
Shihabi underlined that European countries 鈥渁re hostile to Russia.鈥�
He said that 黑料社区 is an ideal host for the peace talks because of its 鈥渘eutrality,鈥� having been a close ally to both countries.
鈥満诹仙缜� did not impose sanctions on the Russians, it works closely with the Russians in OPEC+, it鈥檚 very close to the Americans, it was a place that both parties were comfortable coming to,鈥� Shihabi said.
The meeting in Riyadh came about following phone calls US President Trump had separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 12.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office following the calls, Trump said: 鈥淚 think we are on the way to getting peace, I think President Putin wants peace, President Zelensky wants peace, and I want peace. I just want to see people stop getting killed.
鈥淲e think we鈥檙e going to probably meet in 黑料社区, the first meeting. We know the crown prince, and I think it would be a very good place to be.鈥�
Shihabi underlined that the Kingdom鈥檚 hosting of the talks signals the country鈥檚 鈥渧ery prestigious position,鈥� adding that 鈥渋t shows the respect that both Russia and America have for 黑料社区.鈥�