USA and allies held secret meeting on Ukraine peace formula in Saudi Arabia

The United States and Ukraine's Western allies held a secret meeting on the "peace formula” on December 16, 2023 in Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg said with reference to its sources. However, the parties failed to achieve significant progress during the discussion.

The participants discussed the peace initiative as well as the prospects for interaction with Russia in the future. Saudi Arabia, India and Turkey also took part in the meeting, while China, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates did not send its representatives to it.

During the discussion, Ukraine's allies tried to drum up support for negotiations with Russia on Kyiv's terms, while countries in the Global South called for direct engagement with Moscow on the issue. Nevertheless, Western countries confirmed their commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine and assured that they would continue to support Kyiv.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on December 28 that several countries refused the invitation for the meeting in Saudi Arabia.

"It was held in complete secrecy, nothing was reported about it anywhere, there were no leaks," Lavrov then said.

Zelensky's peace formula is a figment of sick imagination, whereas all intentions to force Russia to return to the borders of 1991, as well as attempts of the West to impose peace negotiations on Moscow on Kyiv's terms are nothing but scam and manipulation, Sergei Lavrov also said.

The President of Ukraine said that he did not see Russia making any fundamental steps towards peace negotiations. He also accused Russia of intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities.