DOHA, Qatar (AP) – Ukraine’s president made a surprise video appearance at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday, urging the energy-rich nation and others to ramp up production to counteract the loss of Russia’s energy supplies.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the United Nations and world powers to come to his aid, as he has done in a series of other addresses around the world since the war began on February 24. He compared Russia’s destruction of the port city of Mariupol to the Syrian and Russian destruction of the city of Aleppo in the Syrian war.
“They are destroying our ports,” Zelenskyy said. “The lack of exports from Ukraine will hit countries around the world.”
The loss of Ukraine’s wheat has already worried Middle Eastern countries like Egypt that rely on these exports.
Zelenskyy urged countries to increase their energy exports – which is particularly important as Qatar is the world’s leading exporter of natural gas. Western sanctions have severely affected Russian exports, which are vital to European nations.
Also present was Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the top diplomat for the world’s largest oil exporter. Saudi Arabia has so far said it will stick to an OPEC+ production plan the cartel has struck with Russia and other producers. The kingdom also said it was not responsible for higher prices as it deals with attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels amid its years-long war in the Arab world’s poorest country.
Zelenskyy criticized Russia for what he described as a threat to the world with its nuclear weapons and pointed to the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield.
“Russia is considering boasting that it can use nuclear weapons to destroy not just a specific country but the entire planet,” Zelenskyy said.
He also pointed out that Muslims in Ukraine would have to fight during the upcoming holy fasting month of Ramadan.
“We must ensure that this holy month of Ramadan is not overshadowed by the misery of the people of Ukraine,” he said.
The story goes on
The ruling Emir of Qatar, meanwhile, has slammed Israel for its treatment of the Palestinians over the past 70 years and called on the world to take a stand against a growing global militarization that has culminated in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani tried to draw a line between anti-Semitism and the ability to criticize Israel for occupying lands that Palestinians hope will have a state of their own. Sheikh Tamim’s comments come as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates settled diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020.
“What is remarkable here is that the accusation of anti-Semitism is now unfairly used against anyone who criticizes Israel’s policies, and this affects the fight against racism and actual anti-Semitism,” Sheikh Tamim said at the beginning of the forum.
“In this context, while emphasizing solidarity, I would like to remember the millions of Palestinians who have suffered from Israeli occupation and international neglect for more than seven decades,” he added. “Similarly, there are many other people, like the Syrian people and the Afghan people, who are not getting justice from the international community.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was Saturday, the Jewish day of rest, when offices are closed.
However, Israel and Qatar have talked about easing tensions in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Qatar, which supports Islamist groups across the region, has stepped in to provide humanitarian assistance, including suitcases filled with cash to be shipped to Gaza with Israeli permission.
Qatar’s support of Islamists saw it become the target of a year-long boycott by four Arab nations — Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — during President Donald Trump’s administration. That boycott ended shortly before President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who was in attendance for the forum, commended the event for allowing Saudi Arabia’s and Qatar’s top diplomats to share a stage as a sign that “the embargo is over”.
However, he noted what he described as a reluctance by the Saudis and the Emirates to condemn Russia for its war against Ukraine. He said he hoped the Russian people would rise up against Vladimir Putin and see “regime change” since “they have a very dead future” as things stand now.
“What you, like all of us, have seen on your televisions are war crimes on an industrial scale,” Graham said. “The question to the world is: Can you forgive that? Can we be the world we want to be and let Putin get away with it? The answer for me is no.”
___
Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.
___
Follow Lujain Jo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lujainjo.