Saudi Arabia Hosts Arab League Summit, Welcoming Syria’s Assad, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy

Saudi Arabia hosted the Arab League Summit on Friday, featuring the return of Syrian President Bashar Assad after a 12-year suspension and a surprise visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seeking support against Russia. The unique assembly was a result of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent diplomatic initiatives, including regional rapprochement and the restoration of ties with Iran.

During the summit, Zelenskyy invoked the Arab world’s history of invasions and occupations to rally support, while also accusing some participants of overlooking Russia’s violations of international law. Zelenskyy’s visit is part of an international travel spree, primarily to allied countries.

The summit also marked Assad’s hope for a “new stage of Arab solidarity” despite his close alliances with Russia and Iran. Assad’s forces, backed by Russian military interventions since 2015, have recaptured most of Syria’s territories.

Saudi Arabia has significantly shifted its foreign policy, moving away from the confrontation with Iran, indicating a more cautious approach to regional politics. However, Western countries continue to see Assad as a pariah and promise to uphold crippling sanctions on Damascus.