This is CBSI in the world. I'm John Bats with my colleague, Mary Kissel, executive vice

president, Stevens Incorporated, former senior adviser to the Secretary of State. Again,

State Department and diplomacy are a tool, and one of the places needed most is Ukraine,

Ukraine conflict. The slogging it out along the battlefront with enormous casualties on

both sides, and no end in sight. There was a peace parly over these last days in Jedah,

Saudi Arabia, hosted by Muhammad bin Salman, the Crown Prince.

Forty countries were said to have attended. The United States was represented, or European

allies as well, seeking a dialogue about what is to be done about Ukraine. Russia was

not invited. China, however, was invited and appeared. And therein lies a mystery. Mary

Are you surprised that China attended a peace parly that clearly was leaning towards

immediate cessation of hostilities with Keefe represented in a very clear fashion about

what Keefe needs. But Russia was not there. China's showing up. What does that mean, Mary?

It means that Beijing perceives that it can put the West on the back foot by playing

a fake peacemaker. And it really doesn't hurt China to appear at a summit like this.

We're called, too, that China is trying to pull the ruler of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad

bin Salman, into the China camp. Because MBS does not want to be dependent on what he

perceives to be very unreliable Washington. So there are many reasons why China would

show up there. There's also good reason for MBS to host a summit like this. He is working

with Russia in OPEC to keep oil prices where it's profitable for Saudi Arabia. He is becoming

more active in his region, achieving a kind of detente with Iran, which China brokered

or pretended to broker. And he is trying to assert himself as the central power in the

Gulf, which Saudi Arabia kind of naturally is. So I don't think that this summit will

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