Saudi crown prince meets Zelenskiy in Jeddah

JEDDAH - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Jeddah on Friday and discussed the regional escalation and the Ukrainian crisis, the Saudi state news agency said.

No further details were provided. Earlier this month, Zelenskiy said he had spoken with the Saudi crown prince and restated Kyiv's offer to help deal with Iranian drones.

Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict for several years, previously hosting peace-related discussions. Friday’s meeting comes as Zelenskiy seeks broader international backing amid the war with Russia and as the Middle East faces renewed tensions, including recent escalations involving Iran.

The meeting was held at a time when Ukraine is actively strengthening ties with Gulf states to secure economic, technological and political support.