In early January, it became known that a closed meeting between Ukraine, the G7 countries and a small group of countries from the Global South took place last month, with the aim of gaining support for Ukraine's conditions for holding peace talks with Russia. According to Bloomberg, the meeting of national security advisers took place on December 16 in Saudi Arabia and was secretive in order to ensure the comfort of the participating countries.
According to sources, this format allowed for a more open discussion of the Ukrainian peace formula and plans for its implementation, as well as the principles of future interaction with Russia. Recently, efforts by allies, in particular in the US and the EU, have been delayed due to the approval of assistance in Washington and Brussels, and Ukraine's counteroffensive has not led to a significant change in the situation on the front.
According to senior officials, the last meeting in Riyadh did not bring any significant results. Ukraine and its allies continue to oppose the proposals of the Southern countries to interact directly with Russia. Against this background, the Russian side condemned the allies' attempts to resolve the issue without its participation.
While senior officials from India, Saudi Arabia and Turkey attended the December meeting in Riyadh, representatives from other major countries of the Global South, such as China, Brazil and the UAE, were absent. According to sources, many of the participating countries see Beijing as a key factor in influencing Moscow because of the close ties between Russia and China.
Kyiv and its G7 allies have made their stance on the situation clear, reaffirming the importance of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. They have also stressed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin's position remains unchanged and he has not expressed a serious desire to engage in constructive negotiations.
It was jointly stated that support for Ukraine will continue, and the EU and the US expressed confidence that aid packages will be agreed. It is important to note that a large aid package of over $100 billion from the US and the EU is still under consideration by the respective governments.
Negotiations with Russia
Last December, The New York Times reported on “signals” from Russian leader Vladimir Putin about a desire to freeze the war against Ukraine and begin negotiations. It was noted that Putin was proposing a halt to fighting on the current front lines. Similar signals were sent a year ago.
Analysts believe that the Kremlin could use these “signals” to change the situation on the front and reduce aid from allies. Ukraine confirms its readiness for a quick end to the war, but on its own terms and within the framework of international law.
