President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky told Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia that "there are people among you who turn a blind eye" to Ukraine's suffering, urging them to "look honestly."
Source. CNN reports on the main points of the Ukrainian president's speech at the summit.
Speaking in English, Zelensky told his colleagues:
"Look how much suffering the years-long wars have brought to Libya, Syria, Yemen, how many lives have been lost during the years of war with Sudan and Somalia, in Iraq and Afghanistan."
"I hope that most of us are here for peace and justice," he said.
"Even if there are people here at the summit who look at the war, at our land differently, calling it a conflict, I am sure that we can all unite to save people from russian prisons. Unfortunately, there are some in the world, and here among you, who turn a blind eye to these prisons and illegal annexations," the President emphasized.
"War has never been a choice of Ukrainians. Our troops did not go to foreign lands, we do not engage in annexations and robbery of other nations' resources. But we will never submit to any foreigners and colonizers. That is why we are fighting! And I am sure that all your peoples will understand this main emotion," he said.
Zelensky took the leader of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev with him on this trip to the Saudi city of Jeddah.
"I am also confident that all your countries will understand the main call that I want to leave here in Jeddah, a noble call to all of you, to help protect our people, including the Ukrainian Muslim community," he said.
"With me is Mustafa Dzhemilev, the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, one of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine, whose homeland is Crimea, the center of Muslim culture in Ukraine."
"For centuries, the Crimean Tatars have been and should remain an integral and strong part of the Muslim community of the world," Zelensky added, "but Crimea was the first to suffer from russian occupation. And so far, most of those who are being repressed in the occupied Crimea are Muslims."
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended the Arab League summit for the first time in a decade and was spotted on camera in the conference room minutes before Zelensky's speech. Syria is only one of two countries in the world (along with North Korea) that have recognized russia's claimed annexations of four Ukrainian regions.
Zelensky also met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and thanked him for inviting him to the Arab summit.
According to him, during the bilateral meeting, he outlined the Ukrainian formula for peace, which requires the withdrawal of russian troops from all parts of Ukraine, including Crimea.
He also noted Saudi Arabia's role in mediating the release of 10 foreign prisoners of war from russian captivity.
"We are interested in continuing joint efforts to release people," Zelensky said.
Background. Earlier today, it was reported that Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia to speak at the Arab League summit, meet with the prince and hold other bilateral talks.