Saudi Arabia is taking on the role of a “non-aligned” influencer on the global stage as it hosts peace talks on Ukraine this weekend, analysts told The National.

The kingdom has a long history of acting as mediator in regional conflicts such as the civil war in Lebanon, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, most recently, the crisis in Sudan.

On Saturday, a multinational meeting kicked off in the port city of Jeddah in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who looks for a peace plan to end the war on his country.

The two-day meeting comes as Ukraine-Russia war crosses the 500-day mark and Ukraine launches a counteroffensive in an effort to liberate Russian-occupied areas.

The Jeddah conference is “distinct” from other talks that the kingdom has hosted, Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank, told The National.

“The kingdom is trying to position itself as a middle ground non-aligned influencer that can bring together multiple parties in Ukraine war,” Ms Vakil said.

“These efforts are designed to show Riyadh's international mobilising power, particularly among the G20. This outreach has shown a shift in Riyadh's regional approach away from outsourcing to directly managing its regional security interests.”

Saudi Arabia has invited 30 countries to join the talks this weekend. They include the US, European nations, Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, Egypt and Zambia, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The talks are aimed at persuading countries from the Global South to back Kyiv’s proposals for ending the war.

Ukraine’s proposed plan is made up of a 10-point peace formula, including the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, the release of all prisoners, a tribunal for those responsible for the aggression and security guarantees for Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is positioning the kingdom “as an indispensable actor” not only on the regional but also on the international stage, Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow for the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston, said.

“The Saudi authorities are seeking to present the kingdom as central to policy responses to key issues in international politics.”

The focus on diplomacy began on the regional stage at the time of the AlUla reconciliation summit of GCC leaders in January 2021, Mr Ulrichsen said.

The kingdom placed itself on the international stage after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year highlighted how central Saudi Arabia is to global energy markets.

Source: The National (UAE)