Peace Summit in Switzerland: Zelensky Invites Global Leaders
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that over 80 countries will attend a peace summit in Switzerland next June. The peace summit further aims to rally global public opinion on ways to end the Ukraine conflict and increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has not been invited.
In a video message, Zelensky personally invited US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to join the summit, urging them to showcase their leadership to push for 'real peace' and not merely a pause between hostilities. The message was recorded in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, amidst the charred ruins of buildings destroyed by recent Russian missile attacks.
An American official confirmed that the United States would participate in the summit but did not specify who would attend or at what level. Confirmed participants include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, her Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other key allies are also expected to attend.
The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that approximately half of the confirmed countries are from Europe. Developing nations, especially from the global South, are also encouraged to participate for a more comprehensive dialogue.
In contrast, Russia has shown reluctance towards the peace summit. The Kremlin argues that a conference addressing the Ukraine conflict without Russia's participation is 'meaningless.' A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, claimed the summit agenda lacked substance, declaring it 'doomed to failure.'
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented on Western military support to Ukraine, saying that such actions reflect a state of 'desperation.' Lavrov emphasized that Russia would not tolerate efforts by the West to use Ukraine as a threat to its security.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has suggested that NATO should consider lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weaponry against Russian military targets on Russian soil. Stoltenberg highlighted that Ukraine's limited capability to use these weapons is hampering its defensive efforts.
- The Lucerne summit is set to welcome delegations from over 160 nations, including member states of the G7, G20, BRICS, the European Union, as well as three international organizations: the United Nations, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe. Religious representatives from the Vatican and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople are also invited.
- The Kremlin has insisted that negotiations are futile if Ukraine does not acknowledge the annexation of approximately 20% of its territory currently under Russian control. Zelensky's firm stance against conceding any Ukrainian land remains a hurdle in peace negotiations.
