Be informed. Be challenged. Be inspired.

Ukraine summit strives for broad consensus to lean on Russia to end war

Buergenstock, Switzerland
Reuters

Western powers and countries from the rest of the world will use the second day of a major summit in Switzerland on Sunday to pursue a consensus on condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and underscoring concerns about the war’s human cost.

A draft of the final summit declaration seen by Reuters refers to Russia’s invasion as a “war” – a label Moscow rejects – and calls for Ukraine’s control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and its Azov Sea ports to be restored.


US Vice President Kamala Harris, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Secretary of Security Council Armen Grigoryan of Armenia during the opening plenary session, during the Summit on peace in Ukraine, in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, on Saturday, 15th June, 2024. Heads of state from around the world gather on the Buergenstock Resort in central Switzerland for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, on 15th and 16th June. PICTURE: Michael Buholzer/Pool via Reuters.

Moscow casts what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine as part of a broader struggle with the West, which it says wants to bring Russia to its knees. Kyiv and the West say Russia is waging an illegal war of conquest.

World leaders including US Vice President Kamala Harris, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron gathered this weekend at a mountaintop resort in a bid to bolster international support for ending the war.

Many Western leaders voiced forceful condemnation of the invasion, invoking the UN Charter in defence of Ukrainian territorial integrity, and rejecting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands for parts of Ukraine as a condition for peace.

“One thing is clear in this conflict: there is an aggressor, which is Putin, and there is a victim, which is the Ukrainian people,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.

Some leaders are expected to depart early, and talks on Sunday will turn towards pursuing a joint position on the need for nuclear and food security, and the return of prisoners of war and children removed from Ukraine during the conflict.



White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Qatar had helped to mediate the return from Russia of 30 or more Ukrainian children to their families.

“It’s going to take international pressure. It’s going to take a spotlight from the international community – and not just from the voices from the United States or Europe – but from unusual voices, as well, to say what Russia has done here is morally reprehensible and must be reversed,” he said.

Kyiv says about 20,000 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of family or guardians since the war began. Moscow rejects this, saying it has protected vulnerable children from the war zone.

The draft communique, dated 13th June, calls for all illegally deported children to be returned.

Follow-up
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed the participation of more than 90 countries at the Buergenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne as a show of international support for Kyiv, even as some European allies said a broader outreach was needed to build a lasting peace plan.


Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, Swiss Federal President Viola Amherd, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, US Vice President Kamala Harris, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Danish Prime minister Mette Frederiksen, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pose for a family photo, on the day of the opening ceremony of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Buergenstock Resort in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, on 15th June, 2024. PICTURE: Reuters/Denis Balibouse

One central ambition of the Swiss and Ukrainian organisers is to announce on Sunday the host country for a follow-up conference meant to build on the Swiss momentum.

Saudi Arabia is one of the favourites, and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the kingdom was ready to assist the peace process, but warned that a viable settlement would hinge on “difficult compromise.”

Striking a balance in the summit’s final declaration between forthright condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and wording that commands the broadest possible support has been part of the diplomatic tug-of-war at the event, sources say.

It remains to be seen how many countries will back a final joint declaration, and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Saturday sought to temper hopes somewhat.

“Just to manage expectations, please: the crucial take-away is that we’ve all come here, that we’re talking, that many different nations and continents are talking to each other … This is the essence of this conference,” he said. “Peace and peace processes take time, working millimetre by millimetre.”

– With reporting by STEVE HOLLAND and DAVE GRAHAM

Donate



sight plus logo

Sight+ is a new benefits program we’ve launched to reward people who have supported us with annual donations of $26 or more. To find out more about Sight+ and how you can support the work of Sight, head to our Sight+ page.

Musings

TAKE PART IN THE SIGHT READER SURVEY!

We’re interested to find out more about you, our readers, as we improve and expand our coverage and so we’re asking all of our readers to take this survey (it’ll only take a couple of minutes).

To take part in the survey, simply follow this link…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.