Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland: A Major Diplomatic Effort
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has embarked on an intensive diplomatic tour in recent weeks, culminating in a peace summit in Switzerland. This High-Level Peace Conference, taking place at the luxurious Burgenstock hotel complex, aims to gather broad international support to end the war ignited by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The summit, held over the weekend, will focus on nuclear security, food security, and the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and children taken to Russian-held territories.
Representatives from 92 countries and 8 organizations are expected to participate, totaling around 100 delegations, including 57 heads of state and government. Prominent attendees include French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with approximately half of the leaders being Europeans. Among the BRICS nations, only Brazil has confirmed its participation as an observer, while China, India, and South Africa have refrained, citing the absence of meaningful discussions without Russian involvement.
Putin's Absence and Stringent Conditions
Russia, a key player in the conflict, will not be represented at the summit, with President Vladimir Putin dismissing the event as a distraction from the conflict's core issues. Moscow has repeatedly criticized Zelensky's 'peace formula,' which demands the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territories, financial reparations, and the establishment of a special tribunal to try Russian officials.
Putin's counter-proposal involves Ukrainian capitulation, handing over contested regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia to Russia, along with renouncing NATO membership. Ukraine and its allies have strongly rejected these demands. In a stark depiction of his stance, Zelensky compared Putin’s terms to Hitler's ultimatums, stressing that such conditions would only perpetuate conflict rather than lead to real peace.
In the backdrop of this peace summit, discussions at the recent G7 summit in Italy reiterated the member nations' unwavering support for Ukraine. The G7 promised to back Ukraine 'as long as necessary', coupled with a controversial $50 billion loan guarantee, which Putin condemned as theft.
- Scholz's promotional efforts during his China visit in April and the broader call for Moscow’s participation marked unsuccessful attempts to bring Russia and its allies to meaningful negotiations. However, Swiss authorities remain hopeful that this summit might lead to a follow-up conference including Moscow.
- The summit underscores a unified global effort to restore peace in Ukraine, despite the conspicuous lack of participation from key Russian allies. This initiative is perceived not just as a diplomatic formality but as a critical step towards addressing humanitarian issues, nuclear and food security, and the plight of displaced Ukrainians.
- Putin’s consistent peace offers, regarded by many as insufficient and self-serving, emphasize the deep-seated divisions in the international community over resolving the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Zelensky's call for the outright confiscation of $300 billion in frozen Russian assets reflects the heightened global economic stakes tied to this geopolitical struggle.
