Saudi Crown Prince and Ukrainian President discuss regional military escalation

Jeddah — Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone, during which Zelenskyy condemned Iran’s attacks on Saudi territory. In the call, President Zelenskyy stressed Ukraine’s solidarity and support for Saudi in steps taken to safeguard its territory. The leaders also discussed the ongoing military escalation in the region and its implications for international peace and security. Earlier on 2 March, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States sharply condemned Iran’s missile and drone strikes against their sovereign territories, including Iraqi Kurdistan. The attacks targeted sovereign territory, endangered civilians, and damaged civilian infrastructure. Iran’s actions were viewed as a dangerous escalation that violated the sovereignty of several states and threatened regional stability. Striking civilians and countries not involved in hostilities was described as reckless and destabilising. They emphasised their solidarity to defend their citizens, sovereignty and territory, and reaffirmed the right to defend themselves in the face of such attacks. ‘We remain committed to regional security and commend the effective air and missile defence cooperation that has prevented loss of life and far greater damage,’ the joint statement said.