Saudi Arabia’s hosting of top American, Russian and Ukrainian officials for high-stakes meetings underlines the kingdom’s aspirations to become a global actor capable of successfully mediating international conflicts. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he landed in the Red Sea city of Jeddah Monday night. His arrival came ahead of a meeting between top US officials and Ukranian officials and just a week after US President Donald Trump publicly scolded Zelensky for being “ungrateful” in an awkward showdown at the White House. Saudi Arabia mediated between top US and Russian officials last month for the first direct talks between Washington and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The location for these talks – described at the time by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as one that “generally suits” the United States and Russia – is widely considered a win for the kingdom’s 39-year-old de facto leader,…
