RIYADH: The unexpected role of Saudi Arabia in the release of foreign fighters detained in Ukraine is the latest example of how the kingdom is trying to strengthen its international position, diplomats and analysts say.
It also allows Riyadh to argue that preserving ties with Moscow – a source of tension with Washington, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine – can be a positive factor, while potentially diverting attention to the human rights concerns they constantly generate. negative titles.
The release of 10 foreign fighters, including two from the United States and five from Great Britain, coincided with a major Turkish-mediated prisoner-of-war exchange, which freed 215 Ukrainians while Russia received 55 prisoners.
Among the freed is a former Ukrainian deputy and aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Foreigners who landed in Riyadh on a chartered jet last Wednesday were also residents of Morocco, Sweden and Croatia.
Expressions of gratitude to Saudi Arabia came immediately from Washington, London and elsewhere, with officials pointing to the Crown’s personal involvement. Prince Mohammed bin salman.
“This is definitely the first time,” said Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government.
“In this case, it was an opportunity to exploit Saudi Arabia’s relations with Russia for a good cause,” he said, adding that similar deals may be possible in the future.
Before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine seven months ago, Saudi Arabia – and in particular Prince Mohammed – were still struggling to overcome the diplomatic isolation resulting from the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. .
Last year, US President Joe Biden released an intelligence report that Prince Mohammed had approved an operation against Khashoggi, a claim denied by Saudi officials.
But the rise in energy prices triggered by the Russian invasion prompted many Western leaders to visit Saudi Arabia to demand more oil production, including then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Biden. himself. , who swallowed a previous promise to do so. The Saudi leadership is a “pariah”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz became the last major leader to visit the state over the weekend.
Saudi Arabia has largely resisted calls to pump more oil, in coordination with the OPEC + cartel, which it leads jointly with Russia.
At the same time, the world’s largest crude oil exporter benefited financially from the war. Oil giant Saudi Aramco has posted record profits and the kingdom’s economy is expected to grow 7.6% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.
An Arab diplomat based in Riyadh says moves such as mediating a prisoner swap would allow Prince Mohammed to “prove to the West that he is a credible figure in international affairs” – given his close ties to Putin. Despite, also thanks to them.
“Her speech in this way is also making headlines about stories like harsh court rulings against government critics,” the diplomat said, citing the cases of two women who were sentenced to decades in prison, ostensibly for their posts. on social media.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told the BBC over the weekend that the Saudi mediation was purely for “humanitarian reasons” and that it was “very cynical” to think the kingdom wanted to burn its reputation.
Many of Saudi Arabia’s neighbors have traditionally played a mediating role in pursuing diplomatic influence inside and outside the region.
Oman has used its ties to Iran to mediate prisoner exchanges, including those of detained Americans, and Qatar has done the same with groups like the Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in Syria. .
“Turkey has also increasingly expanded into such a role in recent years, particularly in Syria and more recently in Ukraine,” said Alex Stark, senior member of the New America think tank in Washington.
“Saudi Arabia has also seen how Turkey has garnered praise and attention for negotiating grain deals with Russia and Ukraine and may seek to replicate that success.”
In addition to the war in Ukraine, Riyadh has long been active closer to home, including in Lebanon and Yemen, where it leads a military coalition against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
In the meantime, however, the state makes it clear that its soft power ambitions extend far more than ever, even into space, where, according to a schedule unveiled last week, it will see astronauts next year. Including a woman.
It was another sign of an increasingly fiery and ambitious Prince Mohammed.
The war in Ukraine, said the diplomat based in Riyadh, “has given him confidence in himself”.
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