News Brief
Switzerland Proposes Peace Conference For Ukraine, India Invited As Key Participant: Here's All About It
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
In a recent development, Switzerland has announced its proposal to host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine, following a request from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy almost three months ago.
The conference will aim to facilitate dialogue among global leaders to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace for Ukraine.
Scheduled for 15 and 16 June at the Bürgenstock hotel in Switzerland, the timing coincides with the G7 leaders’ summit in Italy which will be held on 13-15 June in Borgo Egnazia in Apulia, Italy.
As per reports by Indian Express, India has been invited to participate, with initial discussions initiated during Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis's visit to New Delhi in February.
This was followed by Zelenskyy’s phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March.
Switzerland, in collaboration with Ukraine, intends to convene approximately 120 countries at the summit.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, cautioned that negotiations must consider Moscow’s interests for any prospect of success.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin had reiterated that peace in Ukraine hinges on fulfilling Russia’s objectives.
Meanwhile, Swiss President Viola Amherd clarified that the conference marks a preliminary step, anticipating subsequent meetings towards lasting peace, emphasizing the eventual inclusion of Russia.
Also, the question marks over the participation of US President Joe Biden because of the US election campaign, Chinese President Xi Jinping still remains, with no official conformation from the Indian side either.
It's also noteworthy that earlier, Zelenskyy had sought India’s support for his 10-point peace formula, emphasizing the withdrawal of Russian troops, prisoner release, territorial integrity restoration, and assurances on nuclear safety and security.
