Switzerland will host a summit on June 15-16 that aims to build broad international support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace proposals, which include the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Russia has not been invited to the summit and has called it "useless" without its participation.
Switzerland will host a summit on June 15-16 that aims to build broad international support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace proposals, which include the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Russia has not been invited to the summit and has called it "useless" without its participation.
The summit, which will take place at an Alpine resort near Lucerne, is intended to create a framework for lasting peace and a roadmap for Russia's eventual participation in the process.
Zelenskiy hopes to put Ukraine's plight firmly back in the diplomatic spotlight after months of heavy global focus on the Gaza war.
He has said that he believes the summit is an opportunity to "unite the world" behind Ukraine.
"We must show the world that we are not alone, that we will not be intimidated, and that we will not give up," Zelenskiy said in a video address on Tuesday.
The summit will be attended by representatives from over 100 countries and international organizations, including Ukraine's Western allies and countries from South America, Africa, and the Middle East.
The United States will be represented at the summit, but it has not yet said whether President Joe Biden will attend.
Russia has dismissed the initiative as a waste of time and has said that it will not participate.
China, which has moved closer to Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, has also said that it will not attend the summit.
Ukraine has said that it does not trust Moscow and that it will not invite Russia to the summit until it withdraws its troops from Ukrainian territory.
The summit will focus on three key themes: food security, nuclear safety, and the release of all prisoners and deportees.
These are all issues that have been raised by Zelenskiy in his 10-point peace formula, which he first announced at a summit of the Group of 20 major economies in November 2022.
His peace formula also includes restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes, and security guarantees for Ukraine from other countries.
Kyiv expects a communique on the results of the summit to be issued.
It is unclear what impact the summit will have on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, it is a sign that the international community is still committed to finding a peaceful solution to the crisis.
