Switzerland: World leaders are gathering in Switzerland for a summit to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine, but the absence of key Moscow allies like China may reduce its impact.
Alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit, which begins on Saturday, are anticipated to be Vice President Kamala Harris of the United States and the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
It is also anticipated that Turkey, Hungary, and India—all of which have better ties with Russia—will join.
China, meanwhile, has decided not to participate after Russia was barred from the proceedings on the basis that it had called the event “futile” and had shown no desire to go.
In the absence of China, Western aspirations to isolate Russia have diminished, and Ukrainian troops are now at a disadvantage due to recent military setbacks.
“The summit risks showing the limits of Ukrainian diplomacy. Nonetheless, it is also a chance for Ukraine to remind the world that it is defending the principles of the UN Charter,” said Richard Gowan, United Nations director at the International Crisis Group.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, declared on Friday that if Ukraine gave up its hopes of joining NATO and turned over all four of the provinces that Moscow claimed, Russia would end the war. Kyiv quickly rejected these demands, viewing them as equivalent to surrender.
Although Putin’s remarks seemed to reflect increased confidence that Russian forces have the upper hand in the fight, the US and Ukraine quickly rejected his demands.
Russia views its military campaign in Ukraine, which it refers to as a special operation, as a component of a larger conflict with the West, which it claims seeks to subjugate Russia.
This is rejected by the West and Ukraine, who charge Russia with conducting an unlawful conquest war. Zelenskyy asked Switzerland to host the conference, and Switzerland hopes to set the stage for a future peace process that involves Russia.
The two-day event, which is scheduled to take place in the Buergenstock, a highland resort in central Switzerland, has drawn commitments from almost 90 countries and organizations.
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