Brussels, Belgium
Reuters
Ukraine’s work with allies to build broad international support for a peace blueprint has made progress but any summit to endorse a document is at least months away, officials said.
Senior officials from Ukraine, G7 countries, the European Union and nations such as Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey met on Saturday in Denmark for talks on the concept, even as an abortive mutiny unfolded in Russia.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy drinks coffee at a petrol station after visiting positions near the front line, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on 26th June, 2023. PICTURE: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters
China had been invited to the talks but did not attend – highlighting the challenge faced by Ukraine and its allies in building a truly global, heavyweight coalition.
The Copenhagen meeting aimed to advance a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a “peace summit” to endorse principles that would underpin any settlement to end the war that started with Russia’s invasion 16 months ago.
Ukrainian and Western officials have said that the summit would not involve Russia. Instead, they aim to rally a broad coalition behind the Kyiv government – including major countries that have decided not to give Ukraine military aid or impose sanctions on Russia – to increase diplomatic pressure on Moscow.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the turmoil in Russia could persuade more countries to get on board.
“It is my interpretation that Putin is weakened, to some extent at least. And hopefully that could also have an impact on the rest of the world’s willingness to discuss a post-war situation in Ukraine,” Rasmussen told reporters at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.
Peace formula
While the upheaval in Russia formed a dramatic backdrop to the talks, officials said the focus was on trying to find common ground for a possible peace formula, building on a 10-point plan outlined by Zelenskiy last November.
“There was a general consensus emerging that it has to be based on principles of the UN Charter, such as territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said a senior European Commission official familiar with the talks.
“The closer it is to the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law, the more likely everybody could eventually sign up,” the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, represented Ukraine at the talks. He told German journalists in a video call on Friday that Ukraine wanted a peace settlement to be based on its proposals but was open to input from others.
“We are ready to listen,” he said, before stressing: “It is clear that there will be no territorial compromises.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy poses for a picture with Ukrainian service members at a petrol station after visiting positions near the front line, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on 26th June, 2023. PICTURE: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan took part in the meeting via video, having cancelled plans to attend in person due to the upheaval in Russia, officials said.
Zelenskiy had proposed the summit take place in July. But officials said there was a lot of work still to be done and a date later in the year was most likely.
No venue has been agreed for any summit but diplomats say Copenhagen has been suggested.
“It’s not necessarily bad that the Ukrainians have a bit of time to also tease out perhaps a few more gains on the battlefield, profit perhaps from some of the instability we’ve seen this weekend,” another senior EU official said.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited two sectors of the frontline facing Russian troops in eastern and southern Ukraine, handing out awards and posing with troops in video footage posted online.
The President’s office posted three videos and said Zelenskiy visited the two areas on Monday. One site was in eastern Donetsk region, a focal point in the 16-month-old conflict, and the second was located in what was described as the Berdiansk sector in the south.
The first visit, according to the President’s office, involved the Khortytsia operational-strategic group, including soldiers who have fought Russian troops in the Bakhmut sector, where battles have been intense.
The first of the three videos showed the president handing out awards at an undisclosed indoor location and poring over maps with Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces.
“I have the honour to be here today, talk to the commander and first of all thank you, thank you for protecting our country, sovereignty, our families, children, Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said.
“Everyone in the country understands, so you know, those who are not on the frontline, everyone understands perfectly that you are doing the most difficult work today and everyone knows that eastern direction is very difficult.”
Ukrainian servicemen of the 47th Magura Separate Mechanised Brigade fire a BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system towards Russian troops near a front line, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, in 25th June, 2023. PICTURE: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via Reuters/File photo
A second video showed Zelenskiy at a fuel station. Dressed in his trademark military khaki t-shirt, he stood alongside troops in a queue at a counter and then posed for photos with the soldiers and women working there.
“The roads of Donetsk region, gas station, communication with our warriors. Thank you for everything you do for Ukraine! Thank you for protection! I wish you all good health and good luck in battle!” Zelenskiy wrote under the video.
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In the third video, Zelenskiy is shown handing out awards, posing with soldiers and again examining maps with officers. Loud booms resound at least twice during the video.
Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had regained control over the village of Rivnopil, just west of a cluster of settlements recaptured in offensive operations.
The village appeared to be the ninth retaken by Ukraine this month.
Ukraine says it has been making advances since launching a counteroffensive, but Russian forces still hold swathes of Ukrainian territory following their invasion in February, 2022.
– Additional reporting by ANDREAS RINKE in Berlin, Germany, TOM BALMFORTH in Kyiv, Ukraine, JOHN IRISH in Paris, France and ANNA PRUCHNICKA and Kyiv newsroom.
