Russian President Putin is waging an illegal war in Ukraine. In the run-up to a meeting of the Arab League, he now calls for “respect for the territorial integrity of the countries” and promotes international cooperation.
According to its own statements, Russia sees a contribution to peace in the world in cooperation with the Arab states. The conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa could only be resolved “on the basis of generally accepted international law,” said President Vladimir Putin in a welcoming speech at the opening of the Arab League summit.
The prerequisite for ending the wars in Yemen or Syria, for example, is “an obligation to strictly respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries,” said the speech that the Kremlin published before the meeting in Algeria. The first Arab League summit in three and a half years is scheduled to begin in the evening. Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine in violation of international law for eight months.
Before the meeting of the 22 member states, host Algeria had called for Syria to be reinstated in its ranks. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt are opposed. Syria’s membership was suspended eleven years ago because of the brutal civil war there. Russia is the Syrian government’s most important ally and had wished to be reinstated into the organization.
Food insecurity in the region is also on the agenda at the meeting of the Arab heads of state and government. In the course of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the situation has deteriorated dramatically. Many Arab countries are heavily dependent on wheat supplies from Ukraine.
Concrete results are not expected at the summit in Algiers, which lasts until Wednesday. The Arab League is deeply divided on many issues. In addition, several important representatives are not taking part – such as Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.