President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has called the two-day discussion in Switzerland a “collective triumph” of diplomacy, with the 101 participating nations and organizations representing a greater global wish for peace than Russia’s pursuit of a “criminal, unjustified war”. Simon Harris, the Taoiseach, is among the 57 leaders who will meet with Mr Zelenskiy till Sunday afternoon at Bürgenstock mountain, located near Lucerne in Switzerland’s core.
Prior to the conference, Mr Harris criticised Russia’s “unlawful…ruthless and persistent assault” on Ukraine as being responsible for countless crimes against humanity. A visibly cautious Mr Zelenskiy, alongside Swiss President Viola Amherd, refuted claims made by non-participating Russia that such discussions are futile.
“We’ve managed to reintroduce to the world the concept that combined efforts can prevent war and establish fair peace,” he expressed. “This concept will undoubtedly be successful because the world has potency.” Ms Amherd acknowledged that Ukraine’s issues – sovereignty respect and compliance with international law – are of worldwide significance.
She declared, “We aren’t in a position to negotiate or announce peace for Ukraine here on the Bürgenstock, but we aim to foster a process towards a fair and enduring peace, and make tangible progress in that direction.”
Despite the absence of Russia and China, the Swiss facilitators are confident that the gathering provides a platform for participants to reiterate their backing for Ukraine and address matters like nuclear safety, food stability and humanitarian issues arising from the war, which marked its 843rd day on Saturday.
Ahead of his visit, Mr Harris lambasted Russia’s “unlawful… ruthless and ongoing attack” for provoking countless crimes against humanity, including the murder and kidnapping of children. “Russia has to and will be held responsible,” he asserted. “As long as Russia persists in its relentless offensive and displays no genuine enthusiasm for peace initiatives, it’s crucial for the international community to reach a consensus on unambiguous principles that ought to underlie any forthcoming peace process.”
Harris will make a national statement, underlining Ireland’s backing for the principles of international law and deference to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political autonomy. Moreover, he will take part in a sideline discussion about the impact of conflict on humans, particularly in regards to ensuring the safe return of all unlawfully displaced Ukrainian children.
On the social platform X/twitter, Zelenskiy expressed a desire for potent collaboration with nations across the globe, with the shared objective of fostering enduring peace in Ukraine. The concluding communiqué’s preliminary version acknowledges Russia’s hostility towards Ukraine and demands the involvement and dialogues of all factions in impending negotiations, adhering to the principles of the UN charter that respect the constitutional territory and sovereignty of all nations. This guideline has the potential, and indeed shall provide, a framework for achieving a comprehensive peace in Ukraine that is both fair and withstands time.
On the last working day of the week, President Putin declared that Russia would terminate the ongoing war if Ukraine abandoned all plans to join NATO and handed over the four provinces Putin’s government lays claim to. This proposition was rejected by Kyiv as ‘deceptive,’ ‘ridiculous’, and a virtual surrender. Ukraine remains steadfast in its demand for a peace agreement that upholds its boundaries established after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, inclusive of the Crimean Peninsula unlawfully occupied by Russia.
US deputy president, Kamala Harris, will be in attendance at an upcoming meetup along with leaders from France, Germany, Italy the UK, Poland, Canada and Japan among others. Nations having more amicable ties with Russia such as Hungary, Slovakia, India and Turkey will be represented by ministerial delegations. In the wake of Russia’s decision to skip the event, China has expressed doubts about the efficacy of a peace conference from which belligerents are missing. In response, Zelenskiy reproached China, alleging it actively discouraged other countries from participating, a charge that Beijing repudiates.
For the meeting slated for Friday evening, the guest list is extensive and features numerous nations from the Global South, including Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil. Positive news for Ukraine with the arrival of Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. This has raised hopes that this weekend’s meet-up, curated by Switzerland at the behest of Ukraine, could potentially pave the way for future conferences in Saudi Arabia with Russia showing up.
In the wake of a whirlwind week of diplomacy in Western Europe, Zelenskiy has secured supplementary weapon systems, humanitarian assistance and an extensive loan of €50 billion for Ukraine from the leaders of the G7. The interest repayments on this loan are to be covered by the funds amassed from the seizure of Russian assets situated in European banks, following the commencement of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
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