March 9, 2025 (EIRNS)—On March 6, Sputnik organized a roundtable discussion to explore opportunities for nations in Southwest Asia to assist with a peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, among other issues such as security, trade and humanitarian cooperation between Arab nations and Russia.
“Its participants included First Deputy Chairman of the Russia Muftis Council Rushan Abbyasov, Academic Director of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrei Kortunov, Head of the Demographics and Migration Policy Department at MGIMO University Gyulnara Gadzhimuradova, Head of the medical advisory council of the Cabinet of Egypt Ahmed Mohammad Ali al-Said, Advisor to former President of Lebanon Amal Abou Zeid, and Director of Asia Center for Research and Translation in Egypt and Member of the Council for Promoting Social Science Research, Ahmed Moustafa.”
Rushan Abbyasov remarked that it used to be that Europe would decide on the policies for the Southwest Asia region, but now this region, mentioning the roles of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. in particular, is playing a major role in resolving various issues, and “contributing to shaping a multipolar world order.”
“Amal Abou Zeid presented the Lebanese perspective by stressing that Russia-U.S. relations have a major impact on the developments in the Arab region. ‘Russia and U.S. representatives have been meeting in Türkiye and Saudi Arabia in an effort to find common ground not only on the Ukraine settlement, but also on several other major topics, including the Palestinian issue. These meetings demonstrated that the negotiating process revolves around regional conflicts and Syria’s international standing moving forward,’” Sputnik quoted him as saying.
