NEW DELHI: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday called on China and countries of the Global South to attend a peace summit in Switzerland next month.
The Swiss government has announced that it will host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine in mid-June, but Russia will not be in attendance. It remains unclear whether China will participate, as they have stated that significant preparations would be necessary before the conference.
In an interview to AFP Zelenskyy said, Chinese leaders hold the belief that if Russia loses the war…it is a victory for the United States. He further added, It’s a victory for the West, and they want to find a balance between the two… That’s why I would like to see China involved in the peace summit.
These remarks were made during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China this week, where the leaders portrayed their countries’ relationship as a stabilising influence in a turbulent world.
China maintains a neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict and has attempted to mediate. However, like other countries, particularly in the Global South, China has been criticised for not denouncing Moscow’s offensive.
Zelenskyy extended a broader invitation to countries to send representatives to Switzerland, stating, If there is no representative of your state, this is a public response that when you say that we all want peace, no, you want Russia to win. The Ukrainian president highlighted three areas where consensus could be reached in Switzerland.
Firstly, he suggested that free navigation in the Black Sea could enhance global food security by facilitating Ukrainian grain exports. Secondly, he hoped for an agreement on a call to stop attacks on energy infrastructures.
Lastly, he advocated for the return of thousands of children who were deported to Russia, a crime for which the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin. Zelenskyy concluded, If we come out of the summit with these three steps with the majority of countries agreeing… it means that Russia will not block them further.
