At an international meeting in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine intends to make a "new diplomatic move" to weaken Russia's influence and prevent unwanted negotiations with it, the New York Times reports.
However, such a concept faces certain difficulties. According to the NYT, many of the invited governments reject the idea of choosing sides in the conflict, portraying the war as a competition of world powers in which they do not want to participate.
Also ambiguous is the position of China, which confirmed its participation in the meeting, but this does not mean a change in its position regarding the war. It is important for China to appear responsible and neutral, the publication writes.
Other countries such as Indonesia, India, Mexico, Chile and South Africa want an end to the war due to economic hardship, but this may not be enough to turn them against Russia.
Saudi Arabia, which is the host of the summit, recently signed an agreement with the Russian Federation to reduce oil production, which caused the displeasure of the White House.
Ukrainian and Western officials are trying to play down expectations for the talks, stressing that the war is unlikely to end at the meeting and that many of the invited countries are unlikely to change their positions, the article said.
The meeting in Jeddah comes at a pivotal moment for Ukraine as it faces fierce fighting on the front lines, and President Zelensky has warned diplomats that the situation will become more difficult and pressure will mount for a peaceful path through negotiations in the coming months.
