RIYYADH, Sep 27(ABC): Saudi Arabia’s unexpected role in brokering the release of foreign fighters detained in Ukraine was just the latest example of how the kingdom is seeking to bolster its international standing, diplomats and analysts say.
It also enables Riyadh to argue that preserving ties with Moscow -– a source of tension with Washington, especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine -– can be a positive factor, while potentially deflecting attention from human rights concerns that consistently generate negative headlines.
The release of the 10 foreign fighters, including two from the United States and five from Britain, came alongside a broader prisoner-of-war swap, brokered by Turkey, that saw 215 Ukrainians walk free while Russia received 55 prisoners.
A former Ukrainian lawmaker and ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin were among those released.
The foreigners, who landed in Riyadh on a chartered jet last Wednesday, also hailed from Morocco, Sweden and Croatia.
Expressions of gratitude for Saudi Arabia immediately poured in from Washington, London and beyond, with officials highlighting the personal involvement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“It is a first for sure,” Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government, said of the deal.
“In this case, it was an opportunity to leverage Saudi’s ties with Russia for a good cause,” he said, adding that similar arrangements could be possible in the future.
A prince’s rehabilitation
Before war broke out in Ukraine seven months ago, Saudi Arabia – and Prince Mohammed in particular – was still struggling to overcome diplomatic isolation resulting from the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate.
Last year, US President Joe Biden declassified an intelligence report that found Prince Mohammed had approved the operation against Khashoggi, an assertion Saudi authorities deny.
