Saudi Arabia’s hosting of top American and Russian officials for a high-stakes rapprochement meeting underlines the kingdom’s aspirations to become a global actor capable of successfully mediating international conflicts.

Saudi Arabia is hosting talks between Russia and the United States to end the war in Ukraine. Experts see the event as part of Riyadh’s effort to assume a central role in international diplomacy.

Ukrainian forces have struck and knocked out a North Korean self-propelled howitzer on the eastern front of the nearly three-year-old war with Russia, Ukraine's military said on Tuesday.