Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has postponed his scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia, initially planned for Wednesday, amid concerns over talks held without Ukraine’s participation regarding the ongoing war with Russia.
Speaking during a visit to Turkey, where he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Zelenskiy emphasized that no decisions about ending the war should be made without Ukraine’s involvement.
“We want no one to decide anything behind our backs… No decision can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine,” Zelenskiy stated. He announced that the visit to Riyadh would be delayed until March 10, adding that he wanted to avoid any “coincidences” related to the recent talks in Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian leader’s remarks followed reports that Kyiv was not invited to discussions between the United States and Russia in Riyadh on Tuesday, raising concerns about potential backdoor negotiations.
As the war nears its three-year mark, heavy fighting persists across a 1,000-kilometer front line, with Russian forces gradually advancing in the eastern Donetsk region. Meanwhile, Ukraine recently reclaimed a small portion of Russia’s Kursk region in a surprise cross-border operation.
Zelenskiy stressed the need for inclusive talks involving Ukraine, the United States, and European allies to secure lasting peace and security guarantees for Kyiv.
President Erdoğan reaffirmed Turkey’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, suggesting that Ankara could serve as a neutral ground for future peace negotiations.
The developments come as international diplomatic efforts continue to seek a resolution to the prolonged conflict, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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