India Supports Switzerland’s Ukraine Peace Summit Amid Russian Absence

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 12th April. The Swiss government has announced that it will host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine in June, but Russia will not be attending. India has welcomed this initiative, stating, “We are open to all such peace initiatives. Our stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is clear.”

The conference is scheduled to take place at the luxurious Burgenstock resort near Luzern on June 15-16 and will be hosted by Swiss President Viola Amherd. She described this as the first step towards achieving lasting peace.

India has expressed its willingness to consider any ideas that can lead to peace.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated, “We have consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomacy. That’s why we participated in the Copenhagen formula. We are open to any ideas that can bring about peace.”

The goal of the conference is to establish a platform for high-level discussions on achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine in line with international law and the UN Charter, according to the Swiss government.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, has criticized the event, accusing the US Democratic Party of orchestrating it ahead of this year’s presidential election.

Swiss Peace Plan

In January, during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Swiss government expressed its intention to organize a peace conference this year.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Swiss government noted the positive outcome of the initial phase of the high-level conference on peace in Ukraine and concluded that there is enough international support to kickstart the peace process.

Russia’s Absence

During his visit to Switzerland, Zelensky mentioned a summit without Russian participation. However, Switzerland, known for its neutrality, aims to involve Russia in future discussions.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York in January, despite Russia’s displeasure over Switzerland aligning with the EU in imposing sanctions, questioning its neutrality.

Cassis acknowledged Russia’s absence from the conference but emphasized the importance of including Moscow in future talks. He stated, “A peace process cannot move forward without Russia, even though they won’t be present at the initial meeting.”

Switzerland has not disclosed the list of attendees, but Swiss media reports suggest that US President Joe Biden may be among them.