Switzerland has formally informed the United Nations of its intention to host a peace conference on Ukraine “by the summer,” aiming to address the ongoing conflict in the region.
Ukraine, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, is seeking support for its ten-point peace plan amidst signs of “war fatigue” and a stagnant frontline. Meanwhile, the international community’s focus has shifted to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced the initiative during a session of the UN General Assembly commemorating the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “At the request of Ukraine, we intend to organize a high-level peace conference by the summer,” Cassis stated, extending an invitation to all nations to collaborate towards achieving peace.
Zelensky’s peace plan includes provisions for restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity, withdrawing all Russian soldiers, safeguarding food and energy sources, ensuring the security of nuclear technology, and securing the release of all prisoners of war.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba emphasized the importance of global unity in addressing the conflict, asserting, “Russia cannot ignore the voice of the majority of the world if we all take a principled stance and act together.”
However, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, dismissed Ukraine’s peace plan as a “pointless” negotiation tactic, characterizing it as an ultimatum to Russia and condemning it as a ploy to engage countries in endless summits.
Ukraine’s efforts to sustain its military operations rely heavily on Western support for both financial assistance and military equipment. Delays in aid disbursement, notably billions of dollars from the US Congress, have exacerbated the critical shortage of ammunition in Kyiv’s war efforts.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
