Seventy-eight countries attending a two-day international summit on peace in Ukraine in Switzerland, signed a document saying that Ukraine’s “territorial integrity” should be the basis for a peace agreement with Russia and that Kyiv should enter dialogue with Moscow on ending the war.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was at the meeting and hailed the convergence of nearly 100 nations and institutions as a “tremendous success.”
“What this summit has done is define what the core character — the core foundation — of what a just peace looks like, and that is the principles of the United Nations Charter, the principles of international law, the notion of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the basic proposition that no nation should be allowed to conquer another nation by force. Period,” Sullivan said.
During a news conference in Switzerland, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there are two ways to force Russia into peace. The first is diplomatic, the second is with a strong defense and a powerful army.
“The biggest success for us is, of course, the end of the war. It is not a success, it is the only possibility of existence in this world, the only fair possibility of life. And we will do everything to end the war. Today is only the first step, but it is a powerful one,” he said.
Russia was not invited to attend the summit at the Buergenstock resort in Switzerland, dimming hopes for setting a path to peace. China, Russia’s key ally, did not attend the conference and Brazil, participated only as an observer.
India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were among those that did not sign onto the final document, which outlined issues of nuclear safety, food security and the exchange of prisoners.
Ukrainian children, key points to peace
The declaration also urged the return of deported Ukrainian children to their families.
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at the meeting that his country hosted talks with both Ukrainian and Russian delegations on the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families that has so far resulted in 34 children being reunited, but there is much more to be done.
The Ukrainian government believes that 19,546 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova has previously confirmed that at least 2,000 were taken from Ukrainian orphanages.
Regarding food security, the discussions focused on how the destruction of Ukraine’s fertile land, as well as ongoing risks posed by landmines there, have caused a slump in Ukraine’s agricultural production and exports. This has led to a crisis on global food exports as Ukraine was part of the world’s breadbasket before the war.
Artillery attacks on ships in the Black Sea have also driven up the cost of maritime transport.
The meeting’s nuclear safety session looked at the precarious situation regarding the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, notably Zaporizhzhia, where all the reactors have been shut down since mid-April.
Long journey to peace
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen cautioned Sunday that though the summit has brought peace closer to Ukraine, real peace will not be achieved in one step, and the path will require patience and determination.
“It will be a journey,” she said.
Swiss President Viola Amherd, who hosted the event, told the final news conference “a lasting peace solution must involve both parties,” and acknowledged that “the road ahead is long and challenging.”
Zelenskyy did not say whether he was prepared to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin directly in talks to end the conflict, though he has in the past ruled out direct talks with him.
“Russia can start the negotiations with us tomorrow, not waiting for anything, if they pull out from our legal territories,” Zelenskyy told a news conference at the end of the summit in Switzerland.
“Russia does not want peace, that is a fact,” Zelenskyy added. “Russia and their leadership are not ready for a just peace, that’s a fact.”
Kremlin reacts
The Kremlin said Sunday that Ukraine should “reflect” on Putin’s demands that Ukraine drops its bid to join NATO and gives up the four provinces Russia now claims: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
“The current dynamic of the situation at the front shows us clearly that it’s continuing to worsen for the Ukrainians,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
“It’s probable that a politician who puts the interests of his country above his own and those of his master’s would reflect on such a proposal,” Peskov said.
Russian advances, Ukrainian drones
Russia claimed Sunday its troops had captured the Zagrine village in southern Ukraine, continuing its advances on the front line.
A Russian journalist was killed in a drone attack in eastern Ukraine, near the town of Vuhledar, his news organization, News.ru said, Sunday. The area in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine has been marked by fierce fighting in the past three months.
The Russian foreign ministry said a Ukrainian drone had “purposefully hit the Russian journalist preparing a report in the area,” two days after the death of another Russian correspondent near the front line.
“This is the second attack on media workers in a week, bearing the same signature,” ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, blaming Ukraine.
Ukraine has not commented on the allegations.
Some information for this report came from Reuters, Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.