Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s shuttle diplomacy to marginalise Moscow is a necessary step to convince nations with longstanding Russian relationships that there are superior deals on offer. The moral case against Russia is unambiguous. Vladimir Putin has blood on his hands. This argument is better coming from President Zelenskiy than his backers in the west, whose actions from Vietnam to Iraq reveal a spotty record on matters of morality in foreign policy. His pitch will be that Ukraine will be on the right side of history: as a victim of imperialism but an eventual victor against aggression.
It would be unthinkable for western leaders to endorse the Arab League’s shameful decision to welcome Syria’s tyrant Bashar al-Assad back into its fold. Mr Zelenskiy is attending the Jeddah meeting despite Moscow’s backing of Mr Assad’s brutal suppression of a pro-democracy uprising. The Ukrainian president is not seeking the Syrian president’s approval. He has made a pragmatic decision: to win over other leaders who have remained largely neutral on Russia’s invasion, he will need to accept their norms rather than condemn them. This leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. But the bigger prize would be tangible support beyond the west for Kyiv ahead of its military counteroffensive.
