Ukraine peace process will need compromise, says Saudi foreign minister

Swiss Federal President Viola Amherd poses with Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine. (Reuters)
Swiss Federal President Viola Amherd poses with Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine. (Reuters)
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Updated 15 June 2024
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Ukraine peace process will need compromise, says Saudi foreign minister

Ukraine peace process will need compromise, says Saudi foreign minister
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks after arrival in Switzerland

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Saturday that any credible peace talks on the conflict in Ukraine would need Russia’s participation and that it would involve “difficult compromise.”

Prince Faisal was speaking at a conference in Switzerland aimed at engineering peace between Russia and Ukraine, and he added that Saudi Arabia was committed to helping to bring an end to the conflict.

He said: “We believe it is important that the international community encourage any step toward serious negotiations, which will require difficult compromise as part of a road map that leads to peace.”

He reiterated his country’s support for all international efforts aimed at resolving the crisis and ending the conflict, stressing that the Kingdom “supports reducing the escalation in Ukraine and seeking negotiated political solutions.”

The Saudi minister arrived at the Lake Lucerne location to head the Kingdom’s delegation at the Ukraine Peace Summit earlier on Saturday. He was set to discuss with the leaders and representatives of the participating countries ways to “achieve peace and intensify efforts to reach a solution that leads to ending the crisis and sparing civilians human suffering,” the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said

He was also scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, where more than 100 representatives from countries and organizations have gathered.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Jeddah earlier this week on an official visit and met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who affirmed the Kingdom’s support for all international endeavors and efforts aimed at resolving the crisis, and discussed ways to mitigate the humanitarian impact in the region.


Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen
Updated 39 sec ago
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Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 536 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included nine anti-personnel mines, 48 anti-tank mines, 478 unexploded ordnances and one explosive device, according to a recent report.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 481,776 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.


Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks

Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks
Updated 16 February 2025
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Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks

Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks
  • Siluanov was speaking at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies
  • US and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start talks aimed at ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine, a US lawmaker said

MOSCOW: Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday ahead talks between Russia and the United States in the Kingdom scheduled for next week.
Siluanov was speaking at an event called AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund.
US and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start talks aimed at ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine, a US lawmaker and a source familiar with the planning said on Saturday.
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov along with Siluanov and the central bank’s governor Elvira Nabiullina held talks with President of United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on February 15.
Speaking at an event, Siluanov highlighted Russia’s willingness to restructure the debt of foreign countries.
“During the last 25 years we restructured debt of 22 countries for the amount of almost $30 billion. A similar amount we had restructured through bilateral agreements,” Siluanov said. 


Saudi Arabia supports Lebanon measures to restore security

Saudi Arabia supports Lebanon measures to restore security
Updated 16 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia supports Lebanon measures to restore security

Saudi Arabia supports Lebanon measures to restore security

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia expressed its full support for measures taken by the Lebanese government to confront attempts to tamper with the security of Lebanese citizens, and to deal firmly with the perpetrators of an attack on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). 

“The Kingdom renewed its support and confidence in the measures taken by His Excellency President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in this regard, and the national tasks carried out by the Lebanese Army that contribute to achieving security and stability,” read a statement by the foreign ministry on Sunday.  

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has pledged to bring the assailants  behind the criminal attack on a UN peacekeeping force to justice.

A UNIFIL deputy commander was wounded on Friday when the convoy he travelled in was attacked by protesters who set his UN vehicle on fire.  

Salam had directed the Lebanese interior minister to take immediate action to identify the assailants, arrest them, and refer them to the judicial body. 

Supporters of the Lebanese Shiite Islamist movement Hezbollah have clashed with the Lebanese Army amidst a Hezbollah-organised rally to block the road to Beirut International Airport over a decision to bar two Iranian flights from landing there. 

Several videos shared online show a group of young men, carrying yellow flags affiliated with Hezbollah, chase and beat what appear to be peacekeepers in a white UN vehicle as they attempt to flee.


Sandgrouse: An inspirational symbol of beauty and resilience in Jazan

Sandgrouse: An inspirational symbol of beauty and resilience in Jazan
Updated 16 February 2025
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Sandgrouse: An inspirational symbol of beauty and resilience in Jazan

Sandgrouse: An inspirational symbol of beauty and resilience in Jazan
  • Poets draw parallels between the sandgrouse’s desert journeys and human experience
  • Birds carry water in their feathers for their young

JAZAN: The Jazan region of Saudi Arabia is a haven for a wide variety of birdlife, including the sandgrouse, a species admired for its striking crowned and striped beauty, remarkable desert adaptation, and its deep roots in Arab folklore and literature, inspiring poets and writers for generations.

From pre-Islamic poetry to modern works, the squawking sandgrouse has symbolized patience, endurance, loyalty, departure, and longing. Poets have drawn parallels between the bird’s arduous desert journeys and human experiences. One poet expresses a sense of shared hardship, comparing their own sorrow with the sandgrouse’s search for water.

The remarkable ability of sandgrouses to carry water in their feathers for their young exemplifies their dedication to nurturing their offspring. (SPA)

In Saudi literature, the sandgrouse has also become a symbol of the free spirit, constantly on the move yet ultimately drawn back to its homeland, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Jazan poet Mohammed bin Ali Al-Sanousi, a prominent figure in the region’s poetic tradition, often incorporated imagery from the local environment, including the sandgrouse, into his work. He reflects on a sense of displacement and yearning for home, echoing the sandgrouse’s migratory nature.

Beyond literature, the sandgrouse appears in popular proverbs and oral traditions, frequently noted for its speed and ability to locate water in arid landscapes. The saying, “If you see a sandgrouse, know that water is near,” illustrates its practical significance as a guide for those crossing the desert.

Jazan welcomes the sandgrouse, especially during migration seasons. These birds, capable of reaching flight speeds of 60 to 70 kilometers per hour, travel up to 50 kilometers each day in search of sustenance. Their remarkable ability to carry water in their feathers, transporting it long distances to their young, exemplifies their dedication to nurturing their offspring.

The sandgrouse is an integral part of Jazan’s cultural heritage, inspiring artists and writers, and serving as a powerful reminder of the beauty and biodiversity of Saudi Arabia’s natural environment.


Saudi, US defense ministers discuss ties during call

Prince Khalid bin Salman (L) and Pete Hegseth. (AFP file photo)
Prince Khalid bin Salman (L) and Pete Hegseth. (AFP file photo)
Updated 16 February 2025
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Saudi, US defense ministers discuss ties during call

Prince Khalid bin Salman (L) and Pete Hegseth. (AFP file photo)
  • Their conversation focused on Saudi-American relations and strategic cooperation in the defense field

RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held a telephone call with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Prince Khalid congratulated Pete on the occasion of his appointment as Secretary of Defense of the United States.

Their conversation focused on Saudi-American relations and strategic cooperation in the defense field, as well as ways to develop the cooperation for mutual benefit, as well as the efforts to establish the foundations of international peace and security.