Eighty countries gathered in Swiss They called on Sunday for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine be the basis of any peace agreement to end the two-year war with Russia, although some developing nations have not signed the final document.
A total of 92 countries participated in this meeting held Saturday and Sunday in a luxury hotel in Burgenstockin the Swiss Alps, where he sought to develop a common understanding on the path to a just and lasting peace in the Ukraine and debate the Ukrainian president’s proposal, Volodimir Zelenskyto close the war started in February 2022 by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Of the total number of participants, more than 60 countries were led by their presidents and heads of stateamong them the Argentine Javier Milei and the Ecuadorian Daniel Noboa. Vice President Kamala Harris attended for the United States.
Russia He was not invited to the consultation, which he also did not attend. China.
In his last appearance before the media, Zelensky He wanted to minimize the lack of unanimity and said that there are countries “that have not signed” the declaration, but that the declaration “is open to their accession”. He added that attending the consultation, to a certain extent, is a way of “coming together”.
“We had the participation of presidents and representatives at different levels… it is a success, and Russia did everything it could to stop some from arrivingbut I thank you for showing your independence”, said the president.
In his final statement, Zelensky He was accompanied by his Swiss counterpart Viola Amherd; the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen; the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric; the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo; and by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.
Participating leaders were divided into different tables where they discussed three themes: nuclear safety, food insecurity and the case of children abducted by Russia in the areas of Ukraine that it invaded and controls.
The two-page final document asks the safe use of nuclear energy, taking into account environmental considerations. It is also argued that the threats of the use of nuclear weapons are unacceptable.
Furthermore, it is requested that Ukraine have “full sovereign control” over the nuclear plant Zaporozhyethe largest in Europe occupied by Russian forces almost since the start of the war.
While the global food securitycountries declare that attacks against merchant ships in ports and along the entire Black and Azov Sea route, as well as against civilian ports and port infrastructure, are “unacceptable”.
“Food safety must not become a weapon of any kind. Ukrainian agricultural products must be supplied safely and free of charge to interested third countries,” the document says.
It is also done a call for the release of all prisoners of war through an exchange operation between those in the hands of Russia and Ukraine.
Explicit reference is made to the Ukrainian children deported and illegally displaced, who must be returned to Ukraine.
India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, who were represented by foreign ministers or lower-level envoys, They were among the twelve nations that did not sign the final document. He didn’t do that either Brazil.
At this point, it is worth highlighting that Brazil, India and South Africa are part, together with Russia and China, of the group of emerging economies, known as BRICS.
Zelensky announced that Countries present in Switzerland agreed to continue working towards a second peace summit. “We agreed to start working in special groups after the summit on specific ideas, proposals and developments that could restore security in various aspects… it will take months, not years,” he said.
The Ukrainian president also stated that Russia and its leaders “are not ready for a just peace”.
Russia can negotiate peace “tomorrow if you withdraw from our territory”, he insisted Zelenskyafter the Russian president, Vladimir Putindeclared itself open to dialogue, but on conditions unacceptable to Kiev.
Zelensky He also stated that Ukraine was not an “enemy” of China, when answering a question about its relations with Beijing.
The president acknowledged that many countries would have wanted Russia was represented at the summit, although he also stated that “the majority would not want to shake hands” with Russian representatives, and assured that Moscow “blocked all peace initiatives even before starting the large-scale invasion” in February 2022.
Will the summit have a concrete impact on ending the war? According to Mayte Dongo Sueiromaster in European and international studies from the European Institute – CIFE and professor of International Relations at PUCP, it is difficult to achieve this objective, as it is necessary to consider that neither China nor Russia participated in the Swiss event.
“We must consider that throughout history, normally the spaces that function to maintain international stability, and all multilateral organizations created after the Second World War, were based on the premise that the distribution of power must be consideredwho has the power, what are the powers of the moment, and I believe that one of the problems currently is that this summit is not considering the current distribution of power. He is especially considering the traditional powers, but it is no longer the distribution of power that we had 70 years ago. This goes beyond what Russia did, but it must be considered that this country seeks peace because it is an involved actor. China must also be considered”, says Dongo in dialogue with The trade.
The analyst maintains that both Russia and China, each from their own perspective, also presented plans to achieve peace.
“Evidently, neither Russia nor Ukraine can achieve all of their agendas. It’s impossible, no one wants to give in. The important thing would be to understand which points can be negotiated. For example, I think it is easier to negotiate the issue of Kiev wanting to be part of NATO… It is more difficult to get it to cede territory, if the Ukrainian troops leave it is an acceptance that the territories occupied by the Russians are now. Do they belong to them?” Dongo wondered.
Friday, put on listed a series of conditions to end the war in Ukraine.
He said that the Zelensky government would have to completely withdraw its troops from the Ukrainian territories that Russia annexed since launching its invasion in 2022, this is Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya.
He also noted that Ukraine should give up its efforts to join the NATO military alliance.
He insisted that Ukraine must go through a process of “demilitarization” and acquire a “neutral” status between the West and Russia.
Furthermore, he said that it is essential that all economic sanctions canceled that the West has imposed on Russia since the beginning of the war.
“As soon as Kiev declares that it is ready for such a decision … an order to cease fire and start negotiations will immediately follow from our side, literally in the same minute,” Putin said.
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.
