Shoura Council deputy speaker meets Saudi-Italian Parliamentary Friendship Committee Chair
Osnato stressed the significance of strengthening relations and exchanging parliamentary visits between the Italian Parliament and the Shoura Council
Updated 41 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Vice Speaker of the Shoura Council Mishaal Al-Sulami met with Saudi-Italian Parliamentary Friendship Committee Chair Marco Osnato, and Giulio Centemero, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, as well as members of the committee, at the 19th PAM General Assembly in Italy.
Al-Sulami briefed Osnato, Centemero, and their accompanying delegation on the Shoura Council’s legislative and oversight role and highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in boosting cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Osnato stressed the significance of strengthening relations and exchanging parliamentary visits between the Italian Parliament and the Shoura Council.
Zelensky says he is willing to quit presidency if it means peace in Ukraine
“If (it means) peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelensky said
“I can exchange this for NATO (membership), if that condition is there, immediately,” the president added
Updated 12 min 49 sec ago
Reuters
KYIV: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he was willing to give up his position if it meant peace in Ukraine, adding that he could exchange his departure for his country’s entry into the NATO military alliance.
“If (it means) peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” an irritated-looking Zelensky said when asked during a press conference whether he was ready to leave his post if it meant securing peace.
“I can exchange this for NATO (membership), if that condition is there, immediately,” the president added.
US President Donald Trump has pushed for elections to take place in Ukraine, having branded Zelensky a “dictator,” an apparent reference to the Ukrainian leader’s official five-year term running out in 2024. Russia has cited this in the past to assert that he is an illegitimate leader.
Ukrainian legislation prohibits holding elections during a state of martial law, which Ukraine declared the day Russia invaded in February 2022. Trump also falsely claimed that Zelensky has an approval rating of four percent.
“I am not going to be in power for decades, but we will not allow Putin to be in power over the territories of Ukraine either,” Zelensky said on Sunday, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A poll released this week put Zelensky’s approval ratings at 63 percent, and he made reference to this when talking about Trump’s claims on Sunday, calling his false statements “dangerous.”
“I believe it’s not a mistake, it’s misinformation that has an impact,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky said earlier this week Trump was in a “disinformation bubble,” angering the US President and his team. On Sunday, he sought to justify the earlier comments.
“(The information) about four percent of Ukrainians supporting me is one of the signals spread by the Russians, that’s why I said it was a disinformation attack, I didn’t say it was President Trump,” Zelensky said on Sunday.
Trump’s criticism of Zelensky came as relations between the two leaders deteriorated sharply in recent weeks.
Zelensky opposes the idea of elections in a full-scale war, a position backed by his major domestic political opponents.
The Ukrainian president also said he wanted to see Trump as a partner for Ukraine and more than a simply a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow.
“I really want it to be more than just mediation... that’s not enough,” he told a press conference in Kyiv. Minerals deal
Trump has said Ukraine should give the US $500 billion in critical raw materials as payback for aid which Kyiv has already received from the previous Joe Biden administration.
Zelensky declined to sign a detailed US proposal last week that would have seen Washington receiving 50 percent of Ukraine’s critical minerals, which include graphite, uranium, titanium and lithium, the latter a key component in electric car batteries.
He has said he wants to do a deal, but that it should offer security guarantees for Ukraine in return.
On Friday, he said US and Ukrainian teams were working on a deal and Trump said he expects a deal will be signed soon.
On Sunday, Zelensky said at the press conference that he rejected the idea that Ukraine owed the US $500 billion.
“There cannot be (any) format which makes us debtors for the old (aid given).”
Zelensky said earlier this week that Washington had supplied his country with $67 billion in weapons and $31.5 billion in direct budget support throughout the nearly three-year war with Russia.
“I will not sign what 10 generations of Ukrainians will be repaying,” Zelensky said of the minerals deal.
Ukraine’s economy minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Sunday the 18 percent of Ukraine under Russian occupation contained about $350 billion of critical raw materials, adding that Ukraine is conducting additional geological research to update decades-old information.
The president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on Sunday that he had held constructive new talks with senior US officials on a deal to develop Ukrainian minerals.
“We are moving forward with our work. This was a constructive discussion,” Yermak wrote on Telegram.
BEIRUT: Lebanon “is tired of others’ wars on its soil,” its President Joseph Aoun told an Iranian delegation in Beirut on Sunday.
The delegation was in Lebanon to attend the funeral of slain Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.
They were killed around five months ago in devastating Israeli airstrikes targeting the group.
On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of supporters of Hezbollah and its allies, along with delegations from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and other countries, participated in the delayed funerals of Nasrallah and Safieddine.
The funeral ceremony took place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
It was attended by Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with an Iranian delegation that arrived in Beirut in the morning on a private Iranian aircraft.
Before the funeral, the Iranian delegation met with Aoun at the presidential palace.
Aoun said at the meeting: “I agree with you that countries should not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and the best way to confront any loss or aggression is through the unity of the Lebanese.”
According to the presidency’s media office, Aoun referenced the Iranian constitution, which stipulates in Article Nine that a country’s freedom, independence, territorial integrity, and security are inviolable.
He said: “The constitution asserts that the government and all citizens bear the responsibility to preserve them, and no individual, group, or official has the right to inflict any harm on the political, cultural, economic, or military independence of the country nor to undermine the territorial unity of the nation under the pretext of exercising freedom.”
Aoun called attention to the outcomes of the recent Riyadh summit in which Iran participated, especially the “affirmation of the two-state solution regarding the Palestinian issue, and that the Palestinian Authority is the legitimate representative of the Palestinians.”
He said that “Lebanon paid a heavy price in defense of the Palestinian issue,” expressing his hope for “a just solution to it.”
Ghalibaf affirmed the “unity of Lebanese territory, its integrity, and the sovereignty of the state over it,” expressing his country’s “readiness to collaborate with Arab and Islamic nations in the reconstruction of what has been destroyed by Israeli aggression against Lebanon.”
He emphasized his nation’s “desire to see Lebanon as a stable, secure, and prosperous country,” noting that Iran “supports any decision made by Lebanon away from any external interference in its affairs.”
The funeral ceremony took place at the Sports City, near the southern entrance of Beirut.
Nasrallah was buried in a shrine constructed for him on a vast plot of land purchased by Hezbollah on the old airport road, parallel to Beirut’s southern suburb.
The land had previously belonged to the American Life Insurance Co. before Lebanon’s civil war in the 1970s. Safieddine will be buried Monday in his hometown in southern Lebanon.
After his death on Sept. 27, Nasrallah was temporarily buried next to his son Hadi in a cemetery in Beirut’s southern suburb.
Hadi was also killed during a confrontation with the Israeli army in 1997.
Violations of Lebanese sovereignty accompanied the event on Sunday as Israeli warplanes conducted multiple airstrikes in the south and Bekaa and flew twice at a very low altitude over the mourners within the premises of the Sports City.
In the morning and during Nasrallah’s funeral, Israeli planes carried out a series of airstrikes on the outskirts of Hermel and Bouday in northern Bekaa and on southern villages in the Tyre district, injuring a Syrian girl.
They also targeted Jabal Al-Rayhan in Jezzine, with reconnaissance planes flying over Beirut and its southern suburb throughout the day.
The Israeli army claimed that it targeted “military sites that contained rockets and weaponry in Baalbek and southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah activities were detected.”
It noted that Hezbollah’s operations “are a violation of the ceasefire agreement and pose a threat to Israel and its citizens. We will continue working to eliminate any threats.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed that these warplanes’ flyovers “send a clear message: Whoever threatens and attacks Israel will seal their fate.”
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, who appeared onscreen and did not attend the funeral in person, said: “Today we are facing an occupation and aggression. Be assured that the resistance is present and strong in numbers, resources, and popular support.
“We will not allow America to dominate our country. We have reorganized ourselves, and our heroic fighters have stood firm along the borders.”
Qassem added: “We agreed to the ceasefire (with Israel) in light of a lack of political field prospects.
“Today, we enter a new phase with different tools, methods and approaches.
“We will participate in building a strong and just state under the framework of the Taif Agreement, under three pillars: swiftly implementing the rescue plan, ensuring the state assumes responsibility for liberating the land, and following up on the state’s moves to expel the occupation through diplomatic means, then building on the results accordingly.
“We are discussing the defense strategy, as we believe in the army’s crucial role in defending Lebanon.”
Qassem emphasized the state’s role in securing “the release of prisoners and rebuilding what has been destroyed.”
He stated: “For us, Lebanon is a final homeland for all its children, and we are its children.
“Inside Lebanon, there is no winner or loser. Let us compete for the benefit of our people.”
From the early hours of dawn, mourners flocked to the sports stadium amid freezing temperatures that dropped to less than 7 degrees Celsius. They had already filled the stands by 6 a.m., even though the funeral was scheduled for 1 p.m.
Despite the stadium’s 60,000-seat capacity, the crowd overflowed the sports stadium as men, women, and children filled the surrounding squares, where an additional 50,000 chairs were set up.
The masses extended to the highways connecting Beirut’s southern suburb to the city’s airport.
At the event, Hezbollah reassured its supporters regarding the strength of the party and its refusal to accept the occupation and addressed national partners about the need to rebuild the state.
Frankly Speaking: How did Saudis become mediators for global conflicts?
Saudi strategic expert and think tank founder highlights Kingdom’s balancing act in diplomacy, maintaining relations with Russia while supporting Western stances
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager says Riyadh’s diplomatic influence extends to Gaza, where it rejects Palestinian displacement, remains committed to two-state solution
Updated 3 min 13 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has emerged as a pivotal diplomatic hub, a fact underscored by the recent high-level talks between the US and Russia held in Riyadh designed to re-establish fractured relations between Washington and Moscow and plot a course to ending the war in Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia brokered the talks on Feb. 18, signaling its emerging influence on the world stage. It comes amid a growing recognition of the Kingdom’s potential role as a mediator, positioning it as a crucial bridge between East and West. Further talks are expected on Feb. 25.
Appearing on the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, founder and chairman of the Gulf Research Center, highlighted the significance of the US-Russia talks in Riyadh, noting that Saudi Arabia’s neutral stance had positioned it as an ideal convener.
“Saudi Arabia has taken an important position that has led to this meeting, which means Saudi Arabia originally refused to take a side — neither with the Russians nor with the Ukrainians,” Sager said.
Global media outlets have highlighted Saudi Arabia’s unique positioning, noting that it has maintained positive ties with both Russia and the West throughout the Ukraine conflict, which began on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia launched what it called a “special military operation.”
CNN said Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the high-stakes rapprochement meeting between US and Russian officials “underlines the Kingdom’s aspirations to become a global actor capable of successfully mediating international conflicts.”
The US broadcaster also speculated that “another likely aim” could be pursuing “added leverage for Riyadh in future talks on the fate of postwar Gaza.”
Radio Free Europe likewise suggested the discussions represented an opportunity for Saudi Arabia “to assert its political clout after it rejected US President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gaza’s residents while resisting any normalization of relations with Israel.”
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, spoke to Katie Jensen, host of the current affairs show “Frankly Speaking.” (AN Photo)
The fact that Riyadh “originally refused to take a side” is not to say it has condoned Russia’s behavior, nor failed to play a role in addressing the humanitarian consequences of the war, Sager said.
He noted that Saudi Arabia has consistently voted against the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the UN, contributed aid and participated in prisoner exchanges.
“In fact, they took a position that they vote in the UN for the decision against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With the GCC countries, they have taken, also, a very firm and clear position on that subject also,” Sager said.
“They have contributed to the humanitarian issue in Ukraine. They have participated in the release of some of the prisoners also — Ukrainian prisoners from the Russian side.
“And also, they have insisted, and this was stated during the visit of the (Saudi) foreign minister to Ukraine, confirming the position of Saudi Arabia on the unity of Ukraine.”
Sager added: “Yet, Saudi Arabia never wanted to be fully on the side of either, or what the American and the European countries … (said, which was): ‘Either you are with us or against us.’
“So, they have maintained relations with Russia. They never wanted to cut relations diplomatically with Russia, because Russia has been a very important and useful partner in OPEC+.”
This balanced approach, according to Sager, has allowed the Kingdom to maintain open lines of communication with both sides, creating an environment for dialogue.
The Feb. 18 talks in Riyadh were attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and on the Russian side by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, and head of Moscow’s Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev.
“It was a very important meeting that took place in Riyadh, attended by both the US secretary of state and the national security adviser. It brought the American and Russians together after many years when they did not get together, and also to discuss the current situation,” Sager told “Frankly Speaking” host Katie Jensen.
“And the result of that, of course, is to create a different committee between both sides to go in depth and in detailed discussion of the whole issue.”
While Ukraine was not directly involved in the Riyadh talks, Sager noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was aware of the discussions. He also pointed to subsequent meetings in Paris involving European foreign ministers, where Ukraine was likely informed of the outcomes.
However, the absence of Ukraine from the initial talks has raised questions about inclusivity and just how sustainable a resulting peace deal might be. Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out accepting a peace deal negotiated without Ukraine.
Last Monday, European leaders held a hastily arranged summit in Paris — a day before the US-Russia talks in Riyadh — amid fears that Ukraine and Europe could be excluded from peace negotiations, raising concerns about the continent’s long-term security.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a pivotal diplomatic hub, a fact underscored by the recent high-level talks between the US and Russia held in Riyadh. (KSAMOFA)
However, Sager clarified the Riyadh discussions extended beyond Ukraine, encompassing broader issues related to the US-Russia relationship.
These included the status of frozen Russian assets and sanctions, with some reports suggesting the easing of restrictions on credit card usage for Russians. Such measures could be seen as confidence-building steps aimed at fostering a more constructive dialogue.
Indeed, the Kingdom may soon play host to a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Looking ahead to future talks, Sager said: “Definitely, Ukraine will participate, and I think it was clearly stated by the US side (that) there will be participation from the Ukrainian side and the Europeans.”
Turning to the situation in Gaza, Sager reiterated Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to the two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. He sharply criticized US proposals that involve the deportation of Gazan people and the conversion of the Palestinian territory into a real estate project.
“The Saudi position never changed,” he said. “The Saudi position is still insisting on the two-state solution. If you have another solution, tell us.”
He dismissed alternative solutions as unacceptable, saying that such proposals are rejected by Arab countries. This regional consensus, he said, underscores the importance of a unified approach to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He also speculated that the US proposals could be aimed at achieving collective recognition and normalization with Israel, which he believes is unlikely to succeed.
“I don’t think that will happen because Saudi Arabia is leading the team, and if you remember, we had the Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh here, and that summit did confirm with the 57 countries attending that a two-state solution is the way forward that we will be accepting.”
Sager highlighted the widespread international support for a Palestinian state, with 149 UN member countries already recognizing it.
“The solution that President Trump presented is unacceptable,” he said. “The deportation of the people of Gaza and converting it to a real estate project — and then, there is no guarantee that they will (go) back. I don’t think this is acceptable.
“And by the way, not only Saudi Arabia but also all GCC countries along with Egypt and Jordan reject such a thing. I think he wanted to divert attention from the two-state solution, that he will put the countries in the region here in a defensive position to defend themselves from not really getting to the two-state solution that they’ve always believed in.”
Sager highlighted the importance of a unified Palestinian position, urging Hamas and other factions to participate in a unified Palestinian Authority. This call for unity reflects the belief that a cohesive Palestinian voice is essential for achieving a lasting peace.
“Definitely the Arab countries and the Arab League will ask for a unified Palestinian position, a unified Palestinian Authority,” he said.
He acknowledged the challenges posed by the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization by some countries but suggested that individuals close to Hamas could be represented in the Palestinian Authority.
This nuanced approach recognizes the need to engage with all relevant stakeholders, even those with differing ideologies.
Sager also addressed the issue of ceasefires and hostage exchanges in Gaza, noting that they were taking place despite President Trump’s recent rhetoric. While acknowledging Trump’s tendency to escalate demands, he suggested that these threats often serve as a basis for compromise.
Regarding international legal cases against Israeli leaders, Sager affirmed the importance of pursuing justice and upholding international law.
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, founder and chairman of the Gulf Research Center, highlighted to Katie Jensen the significance of the US-Russia talks in Riyadh, noting that Saudi Arabia’s neutral stance had positioned it as an ideal convener. (AN Photo)
He praised South Africa’s efforts in bringing a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and emphasized the need to hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable.
“I think it’s worth pursuing because in the end, we need to respect international law and we need to respect the international court. And such an effort (that) has been put by South Africa (is) highly appreciated,” said Sager.
“And remember, the G7 meeting in 2025 will take place in South Africa. So, that effort has been appreciated, and I think that matter should continue because we should not give a chance for the genocide and those (who) commit such a crime to get away with it without getting to the court and getting to the legal side.”
Looking ahead, Sager expressed cautious optimism about the Middle East, citing successful ceasefires and hostage exchanges in Gaza as positive developments.
However, he acknowledged the ongoing challenges and the need for sustained diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran.
“There are many cases still open,” he said. “We have almost seven countries in an almost failed state. The situation in the Arab world, we have Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Gaza, of course, the Palestinian side, all of those, there is a huge demand for reconstruction, which can cost trillions.”
Given the uneven recovery in different parts of the Middle East and North Africa, is Sager more or less optimistic about the region’s future than he was last year?
“I’m always optimistic,” he said. “But also with optimism, with cautious optimism, I see that there is a lot of hard work (that) needs to be done to overcome a lot of those issues.”
Saudi Arabia to host regional meeting for satellite search and rescue missions
Representatives from the Saudi Arabian Mission Control Centre will participate in the meeting
Kingdom was one of the first countries in the Middle East to join Cospas-Sarsat search and rescue initiative
Updated 44 min 47 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation will host a regional meeting in Jeddah on Monday to discuss search and rescue missions empowered by satellite technology.
The meeting will take place over four days, from Feb. 24 to 27, and will feature training workshops for teams from search and rescue centers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Algeria, Nigeria, and Togo.
Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of rescue missions in the region and has integrated satellite search tools for aircraft, ships, and people, which were set up by the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme, also known as Cospas-Sarsat.
The Kingdom was one of the first countries in the Middle East to join the Cospas-Sarsat initiative, established in 1979 by Canada, France, the US, and the former Soviet Union, to operate satellite technology for rescue missions.
Representatives from the Saudi Arabian Mission Control Centre, along with authorities involved in rescue missions, such as the Air Force, the Border Guards, and the Ministry of Interior’s security services, will participate in the meeting.
Participants will discuss the technical and operational aspects of deploying satellites to relay alerts of distress cases, as well as aspects of cooperation in search and rescue services between regions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid
Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot
Updated 23 February 2025
AFP
NEWCASTLE: Newcastle blew Nottingham Forest away with four goals in 11 minutes as Alexander Isak’s double inspired a vital 4-3 win in the race to finish in the Premier League’s top four.
Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot with a first half goal spree at St. James’ Park on Sunday.
Lewis Miley bagged Newcastle’s equalizer, sparking an astonishing spell of dominance as Jacob Murphy put the hosts ahead.
Isak netted twice in less than two minutes to reach 50 Premier League goals and leave Forest in tatters.
The Sweden striker has 19 league goals this season, taking him level with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in second place behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in this season’s scoring chart.
Nikola Milenkovic and Ryan Yates scored for Forest in the second half, but it was too late for an incredible escape act.
After three defeats in their previous four league games, fifth-placed Newcastle are back in the hunt to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.
The Magpies are behind fourth-placed Manchester City on goal difference, with third-placed Forest just three points above them.
“I’m trying to control my thoughts and stay positive. We won the game and that’s what we needed to do,” Howe said.
“It was a great performance in the first half, then a couple of frailties showed in terms of defending set plays.
“We can reflect on that. There are things we can do better. We pride ourselves on getting the details right.”
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo added: “In the first half I didn’t recognize our team. In the second half we were much better.
“We made mistakes. It was two totally different halves. We started well and then they just rolled over us.”
Newcastle keeper Nick Pope made his first league start since early December in place of Martin Dubravka.
But Pope was partially at fault as Newcastle gifted Forest the lead in sloppy style after just six minutes
Jacob Murphy lost the ball in his own half as Hudson-Odoi pressured the Newcastle midfielder into conceding possession.
Hudson-Odoi wasn’t closed down quickly enough by Dan Burn and the winger unloaded a powerful low drive that caught Pope out of position as it flashed into the net.
Miley ensured Newcastle’s strong response to that early setback was rewarded in the 23rd minute.
With Forest’s usually rock-solid defense slow to react, Miley had time to control Lewis Hall’s pass inside the penalty area and drill his shot through a sea of legs past unsighted keeper Matz Sels.
Murphy made amends for his earlier mistake to put Howe’s team ahead two minutes after Miley’s equalizer.
Hall’s driving run was the catalyst as the defender took Isak’s return pass and hit a deflected cross that looped over Sels for Murphy to bundle home from virtually on the goal-line.
Newcastle were firing on all cylinders and they struck again in the 33rd minute.
Ola Aina used his arm to block Hall’s cross, conceding a penalty that Isak dispatched past Sels with an audacious lofted effort that left the keeper sprawled on his back as he tried in vain to claw it out.
Forest had no answer to Newcastle’s intensity and it was no surprise when they conceded a fourth just 60 seconds later.
Joe Willock raced unchecked through the Forest midfield and slipped his pass to Isak, whose shot from 12 yards took a deflection on its way past the wrong-footed Sels.
Newcastle eased up in the second half and Milenkovic reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute, flicking Chris Wood’s cross past Pope from close-range.
When Yates steered home in the 90th minute, a nervous hush descended on St. James’ Park, but Newcastle held on by their fingernails.
