With the participation of 90 countries, world leaders gathered at a resort in the Swiss Alps on Saturday in an effort to reach a broader consensus on peace proposals for Ukraine, in a summit that was ignored by China and described by Moscow as a waste of time. After hours of discussions, the draft final statement indicated that "the ongoing war waged by Russia against Ukraine continues to cause humanitarian suffering and widespread devastation, creating crises with global repercussions."
**Comprehensive and Just Peace**
The draft stated that the summit was held to promote high-level dialogue on pathways to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine based on international law, including the UN Charter. The draft reaffirmed the commitment of participating countries to refrain from threatening or using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, as well as respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, including Ukraine. It also added that "any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the context of the ongoing war against Ukraine is unacceptable."
**Involvement of All Parties**
Furthermore, the leaders expressed in the draft their belief that "achieving peace requires the participation of all parties and dialogue among them." They noted that "the UN Charter, including the principles of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, can serve as the basis for achieving comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine." The draft also clarified that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear facilities must be safe, protected, and environmentally sound. It emphasized that Ukrainian nuclear power plants, including the Zaporizhzhia plant, should operate under the full sovereignty of Kyiv in line with the principles of the International Atomic Energy Agency and under its supervision.
The draft also stressed the necessity of "releasing all prisoners of war through complete exchanges and returning all Ukrainian children unlawfully deported to Russia, as well as all other Ukrainian civilians who have been unlawfully detained."
Russian President Vladimir Putin clings to the necessity for Kyiv to abandon NATO membership and relinquish the four regions that his country occupies in eastern Ukraine as prerequisites for negotiation and peace. In contrast, Ukrainian authorities reject those conditions and insist on the complete restoration of their territories.
It is noteworthy that the absence of China in particular at the summit dispelled hopes of Moscow appearing isolated globally, following hundreds of sanctions imposed over the past two years. The numerous military defeats recently suffered by Ukrainian forces on various fronts have also placed Kyiv in a defensive position. Additionally, the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza has shifted international attention away from Ukraine in recent months, while several countries have begun to push for dialogue and negotiation between the Russian and Ukrainian sides.
