German Chancellor urges Russia's participation in next Global Peace Summit

The peace conference in Switzerland should "lay the foundation for us to talk about peace beyond the issues" discussed at the summit, said the German official.

"The main question, of course, is how to achieve a fair and just peace," Scholz said.

With this in mind, there should eventually be a conference and peace talks that will work in favor of Ukraine, "and then it will also depend on the involvement of Russia," he added.

Global Peace Summit in Switzerland

The Global Peace Summit, initiated by Ukraine, will take place in Switzerland on June 15-16.

Switzerland confirmed that 100 delegations, including 57 heads of state and government from around the world, will attend.

Ukraine's key Western allies will be represented at a high level. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and many other presidents and prime ministers will personally attend the summit in Burgenstock near Lake Lucerne. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will also be in attendance.

The United States will be represented by Vice President Kamala Harris, while Turkiye, Hungary, and Italy will send their foreign ministers. Argentine President Javier Milei changed his plans at the last minute to attend the summit. Australia will be represented at the ministerial level.

Russia was not invited, and China refused to participate. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg criticized China for this decision. Among the G20 nations, Mexico and Saudi Arabia will not be attending.

The summit will focus on three points from Ukraine’s 10-point peace formula, which President Zelenskyy presented in fall 2022. These points include:

• Food security: Ensuring food is not used as a weapon and guaranteeing free navigation in the Black and Azov Seas.
• Nuclear safety: Maintaining the safety of nuclear energy facilities, deeming any threat of nuclear weapon use unacceptable, and ensuring nuclear facilities like the Zaporizhzhya NPP operate under Ukrainian control according to IAEA principles.
• Exchange of prisoners: Releasing all war prisoners and returning deported and displaced Ukrainian children and civilians.

Western media reports suggest the final summit communiqué will not likely demand the withdrawal of Russian troops or the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. These points were excluded from the draft communiqué to accommodate the positions of some Asian and Middle Eastern countries maintaining ties with Russia, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Radio Liberty reported that the document might state that achieving peace requires participation and dialogue between all parties. Bloomberg added that the communiqué aims to pave the way for future negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, with tentative wording indicating steps to build confidence and involve Russian representatives.

Security measures in Switzerland will be stringent due to the presence of numerous foreign leaders. The Swiss government will close the skies over Bürgenstock, enforcing a no-fly zone from 8 a.m. on June 13 to 8 p.m. on June 17, with the Swiss Armed Forces providing additional security support on the ground.