The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, demonstrated on Saturday in Swiss his hope of achieving “a fair peace as quickly as possible”, at a summit that seeks ways to end the conflict with Russia, which did not participate in the meeting.
The two-day meeting is held at the luxury hotel complex of Burgenstock and has the participation of more than 50 heads of state and government. But the absence of Moscow reduced expectations of laying the foundations for a future peace agreement.
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“I believe we will witness history being made here at the summit. May a just peace be established as soon as possible” he declared Zelensky at the beginning of the meeting.
“Everything agreed at the summit today will be part of the peace process“he added. “We made it back the world the idea that joint efforts can end war and establish a just peace”, continuous.
The meeting seeks to pave the way for a roadmap to peace that would later include Russia as well.
But the Russian president, Vladimir Putindemanded the day before the surrender of Ukraine before any negotiation.
In a televised speech, the Kremlin leader said he will order a ceasefire and begin negotiations “as soon as”as Kiev authorities begin withdrawing troops from eastern and southern areas of Ukraine in dispute and renounce to enter the NATO.
Zelensky rejected the “ultimatum” in put on and assured that it reminded him of the style of Adolf Hitler. O NATO It is U.S They also repudiated the conditions imposed by Moscow to end the war that began with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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92 national delegations
The head of the German government, Olaf Scholzassured on the ARD channel that the Russian demands are equivalent to “dictate” O peace.
“It doesn’t seem particularly effective to me as a negotiation proposal to say Ukraine that should be removed Ukraine“, said the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Melonion the summit of G7 in southern Italy.
The quote from seven democracies richest people in the world was closed with a loan of 50 billion dollars for Kyivfinanced with interest on frozen Russian assets.
At the same forum, Zelensky signed with his American counterpart, Joe Bidena bilateral security agreement that will involve the provision of military aid and training to Ukrainian troops.
Biden He is the only leader of G7 who will not travel to Swiss to the summit. The vice president Kamala Harris will come in its place and previously announced aid of more than US$1.5 billion for Ukrainemainly for your energy sector It is humanitarian assistance.
After almost a year of stagnation, Ukraine It has had to abandon dozens of positions on the front in recent months due to the offensive of more numerous and better equipped Russian troops.
But from mid-May, the Russian advance slowed and Zelensky He hopes to reverse the trend after this peace summit and the previous G7 summit.
The event has a large Latin American representation, with Argentine presidents Javier MileiChilean Gabriel Boricthe Colombian Gustavo Petro and the Ecuadorian Daniel Noboa.
The Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva He refused to attend and his ambassador in Bern attended in his stead.
Other allies of Russia in the group of BRICS as South Africa and India sent second-rate officials. China refused to participate.
In total, the organizers 92 national delegations.
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– Contain expectations –
The Swiss president, Viola Amherdassured that summits are planned in which he would eventually participate Russia.
“We will not be able to negotiate or proclaim peace for Ukraine to whom Burgenstockbut we wish to inspire a process for a peace fair and lasting, and we want to take concrete steps in this direction” he declared.
“We can prepare the ground for he speaks direct negotiations between opposing parties: that’s what we’re here for“, sustained.
Experts, however, advise against maintaining high expectations for the meeting.
“Meaningful negotiations that could actually put an end to the devastating war in Ukraine are out of reach while Kyiv It is Moscow They cling to theories of victory that involve imposing themselves on others” noted think tank International Crisis Group.
A plenary session with all delegations will take place on Saturday and working groups of three will be formed on Sunday. priority issues: nuclear security, freedom of navigation and food security and humanitarian issues.
The head of the presidential team Zelensky, Andriy Yermakhighlighted that there will be a second peace conference in which Russia could participate and receive a “joint plan” prepared by the participants of this first summit.
Source: Elcomercio
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
