Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Sunday (May 26) called on United States President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to join the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland as Ukraine struggles to stave off relentless attacks by Russia amid the ongoing war.
Ukraine peace summit
“I am appealing to the leaders of the world who are still aside from the global efforts of the global peace summit: to President Biden, the leader of the United States, and to President Xi, the leader of China,” Zelensky said in a video message, as quoted by AFP.
“Please support the peace summit with your personal leadership and participation,” Zelensky said, adding that the “efforts of the global majority are the best guarantee that all commitments will be fulfilled”.
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The peace summit will take place in the Swiss city of Lucerne on June 15 and 16.
According to the Swiss government, 160 delegations have been invited but Russia will not attend. The Ukrainian president said, “more than 80 countries confirmed they will come”.
The meeting has sought to put international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Moscow has repeatedly said that it sees no point in the conference.
Zelensky’s comments also come after a report by Reuters citing Russian sources said Putin was ready to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines.
However, the Ukrainian president and supporters of Kyiv have said that a ceasefire will only help Russia rearm and regroup.
Russia-Ukraine war updates
The peace summit comes as Russia has ramped up attacks on Ukraine amid its ongoing 27-month-old invasion. In recent weeks, Moscow made steady gains on the battlefield and captured several villages in eastern Ukraine.
Russia has also stepped up air strikes on Ukrainian cities and the war-torn country’s energy infrastructure. Earlier this month, Moscow launched more than 70 missiles and drones overnight in one of its largest attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The attack on May 7 was directed at facilities in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and six other cities. This comes as Kyiv has been urging its allies in the West to send more weapons warning that its defence capabilities are running low.
(With inputs from agencies)
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