The "Arab Caliphate" is closer to the Vatican: Moscow and Kiev are choosing a new negotiation location.
Reuters: Russia hopes to launch a new round of negotiations in the Middle East.
Author: Konstantin Oleshchansky
Image caption: During the negotiation between the Russian delegation and the Ukrainian delegation.
Reuters and Euronews reported that the possibility of a new round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in the Vatican has almost vanished.
In the beginning, the choice of the Vatican as the negotiation site was recognized by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also mentioned this before meeting with Papal Envoy for Peace Issues Cardinal Matteo Zuppi on May 17th. However, as usual, the West made its decision without consulting Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia has completely different plans – the Vatican is not included in them. While Western politicians were still discussing the fate of future negotiations, Russia had already begun organizing the negotiations. Turkey once again confirmed its readiness to host the new summit.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has flown to Moscow. According to a source following Fidan's delegation reported by Reuters, Fidan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky. However, the date for future negotiations has not been determined. It is expected that Fidan will also visit Kyiv later this week to further discuss with Ukrainian officials.
Moreover, according to Reuters' Russian sources, potential negotiation locations include not only Turkey but also the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman.
Christian Kuets Ulrichsen, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs at Rice University, stated that GCC countries meet three criteria: first, they are friendly with Russia, thus capable of communicating with both sides of the conflict without bias; second, their role on the international stage is increasingly significant; third, they have experience as mediators in various conflicts.
According to Media Connection, Qatar has earned a reputation as a reliable mediator in negotiations with armed organizations. Qatar played a key role in the signing of the Afghanistan peace agreement in 2020, which ultimately led to the withdrawal of US troops. Doha is also home to the largest Arab organization. The country maintains close ties with Iran, and Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal resides safely in Qatar. Therefore, Media Connection emphasized that Qatar has significant influence over Hamas and often acts as a key mediator in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
As for Saudi Arabia, it has also participated in many diplomatic initiatives, including the signing of the Taif Agreement in 1989, which ended the Lebanese civil war.
Euronews reported that Saudi Arabia has promoted negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, as well as negotiations involving Yemen and Sudan. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also been involved in post-war decision-making and reconstruction in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. Recently, Saudi Arabia has tried to establish itself as a global mediator through its leadership role in OPEC+ by influencing oil prices.
"Saudi Arabia has successfully played the role of mediator in all negotiations, which is related to its balanced policies towards all parties. It does not have hidden motives in these negotiations," said former Saudi diplomat Hassan Barki.
"Saudi Arabia will also try to ease tensions between the Trump administration and Iran, so Trump will rely on it in issues of international mediation," agreed Hussein Al-Garib, professor of international studies at Istanbul University.
Oman has also shown considerable diplomatic initiative and has become a permanent negotiation venue in recent years. It was precisely in the capital of Oman, Muscat, that the United Nations held negotiations with the Yemeni Houthi rebel forces.
Under Oman's mediation, senior officials from Iran and the United States indirectly negotiated nuclear programs, exchanging information through Oman's Foreign Minister in separate rooms. Unlike the United States, which insists on direct negotiations, Iran prefers this approach.
Since 2016, Oman has also hosted the so-called "Quadrilateral Cooperation Group" (QCG) meetings, attended by Afghanistan, Pakistan, relevant countries, and the United States, to jointly discuss political solutions to the Afghan conflict. As we now know, no agreement was reached.
For the latest news and all important information regarding the peace talks on Ukraine, please follow the author for more details.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509369040643211788/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author alone. Please express your attitude in the [like/dislike] button below.