Zelensky to visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday: spokesman

KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, one day after a meeting there between top Russian and US officials, the Ukrainian leader’s spokesman told AFP.

Zelensky had announced the trip along with stops the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey last week without giving dates, adding he had no plans to meet Russian or US officials.

Sergiy Nykyforov said Zelensky would visit Saudi Arabia with his wife as part of a “long-planned” official visit.

His trip will come one day after Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets US officials as part of what the Kremlin says are efforts to repair Moscow’s ties with Washington.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed on Monday in Saudi Arabia where he is due to speak with officials on Gaza.

Zelensky meanwhile said on Monday that he had held a “meaningful conversation with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.”

The UAE has played an important role facilitating the exchange of Russians and Ukrainians prisoners and Zelensky said its mediation had “saved many lives.”

He also said the two sides had signed an economic cooperation document and discussed humanitarian issues.