As Ukraine war grinds on, Saudi influence grows

Riyadh – 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.