Ukraine plans Swiss peace summit amid Russian and Chinese interference
9:57 AM EDT, June 2, 2024
Ukraine wants to organize a peace summit in Switzerland. Russia undermines these efforts, said Volodymyr Zelensky. "Russia is now traveling around many countries in the world threatening them with the blockade of the agricultural goods, of the food products, of chemical products," he said. He added that China is also trying to block the summit.
Ukraine is organizing a peace summit in Burgenstock, Switzerland, which will take place on June 15-16. As Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized at a conference in Singapore, 106 countries have confirmed their presence.
The President of Ukraine stated, however, that Russia is increasing efforts to disrupt the event.
"Russia is now traveling around many countries in the world threatening them with the blockade of the agricultural goods, of the food products, of chemical products … it is simply pushing the other countries of the world so that they're not present on the summit," he said.
China helps Russia
He added that some countries have also started helping Russia with this diplomatic disruption.
"The United States has confirmed its high-level participation. We have a chance that President (USA Joe Biden - red.) will come. As for China, they have not confirmed their presence at any level," he said.
Zelensky also mentioned that the USA maintained contact with some countries and encouraged them to participate in the peace summit. In contrast, China was "working for countries to not come to the peace summit."
"Ukraine has offered peace through diplomacy, an honest form of a global peace summit. I invite your region, leaders, and countries to join and engage with your nations. By uniting against one war, we create a true experience for the world, an experience of overcoming any war and diplomacy that works," he said.
Ukraine expects that during the peace summit, countries will develop an action plan regarding issues of free navigation, nuclear and energy security, and the exchange of prisoners and the return of children illegally deported by Russia.
