Saudi surge of diplomacy brings Assad, Zelenskyy to Arab summit

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia is hosting an Arab League summit that is welcoming back Syrian President Bashar Assad after a 12-year suspension from the league. The summit on Friday also saw a surprise visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to rally support against Russia. Russian airstrikes have have left a swath of destruction across both Syria and Ukraine. But in Syria they came at Assad’s invitation and helped him cling to power through years of grinding civil war. Several other Arab states have maintained warm ties with Moscow while remaining largely neutral on the Ukraine war. The odd pairing of the two leaders in the same forum is the result of a recent flurry of diplomacy by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is pursuing regional rapprochement.