Ukraine’s Zelensky postpones Saudi visit to not give ‘legitimacy’ to US-Russia meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky postponed his visit to Saudi Arabia to not give “legitimacy” to Tuesday’s meeting between US and Russian officials in Riyadh, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Speaking earlier on Tuesday in Turkey, Zelensky said he had postponed his visit to the kingdom, which was originally planned for Wednesday, until March 10, saying he did not want “any coincidences”.

“[Ukraine] didn’t want to appear to give anything that happened in Riyadh any legitimacy,” one of the sources said.

Zelensky said in Ankara that he had not been invited to Tuesday’s meeting between delegations of top US and Russian officials, which included the foreign ministers of both countries.

The United States and Russia said after the talks they had agreed to press ahead with efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

“We want no one to decide anything behind our backs … No decision can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine,” Zelensky said.