World leaders join major Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland – but no Russia or China

Tim Lister, CNN

More than 100 countries and organizations person gathered for a awesome convention successful Switzerland dedicated to mounting retired a way toward bid betwixt Ukraine and Russia, but location will beryllium nary delegation from Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is aiming to usage nan meeting, which is being held astatine a edifice adjacent Lucerne, to drum up support for nan 10-point bid scheme he first outlined precocious successful 2022.

“Everything that will beryllium agreed upon astatine nan acme coming will beryllium a portion of nan peace-making process that we each need,” Zelensky said astatine a news convention pinch Swiss President Viola Amherd earlier nan convention began. “I judge that we will witnesser history being made here.”

Most Western governments person sent representatives astatine a elder level. US Vice President Kamala Harris is attending and announced that Washington will proviso Kyiv pinch an assistance package of much than $1.5 cardinal to thief nan state rebuild its battered infrastructure and reside humanitarian needs stemming from nan conflict, according to a connection from nan White House connected Saturday.

“This warfare remains an utter nonaccomplishment for Putin. I americium present successful Switzerland to guidelines pinch Ukraine and nan leaders from astir nan world successful support of a conscionable and lasting peace,” Harris said.

Heads of authorities and authorities from respective European states, including France, Germany and nan UK are besides joining, arsenic is Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

However, China will not attend. It has said that immoderate specified gathering needs to beryllium attended by some Russia and Ukraine.

Zelensky’s scheme includes demands for a cessation of hostilities, nan restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, nan withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian ungraded and nan restoration of Ukraine’s pre-war borders pinch Russia.

It besides calls for nan constitution of a typical tribunal to prosecute Russian warfare crimes.

“Ukraine ne'er wanted this war, it’s a criminal and perfectly unprovoked aggression of Russia. And nan only 1 who wanted it was Putin,” Zelensky said.

Russia has expressed small liking successful agreeing to those position and has shown nary motion of discuss erstwhile it comes to nan territorial issues.

On Friday, nan time earlier nan acme was group to footwear off, Russian President Vladimir Putin restated nan Kremlin’s ain bid plan, which Ukraine is improbable to ever work together to.

The connection calls for Ukrainian troops retreat from 4 confederate and eastbound regions of Ukrainian territory that Moscow said it would annex successful usurpation of world rule and demands Kyiv wantonness its bid to join NATO.

While Russian forces person made humble gains successful 2 of nan regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – successful caller months, they are acold from occupying each four, which see Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Putin said later successful nan time that astir 700,000 Russian soldiers are fighting successful Ukraine, a hike from nan 617,000 he reported during a end-of-year property convention successful 2023.

Zelensky responded successful an question and reply pinch Italian tv that “the truth that Putin says to springiness them portion of our territories, occupied and unoccupied, speaks astir respective regions of our country, and he will extremity (there), and location will beryllium nary stiff conflict.”

“The messages are nan aforesaid arsenic Hitler’s,” said Zelensky

“Putin understands that location will beryllium a bid summit. That astir of nan world is connected nan broadside of Ukraine, connected nan broadside of life. And connected nan eve of nan summit, amid aerial ambush sirens, group being killed and rocket attacks, he seems to beryllium talking astir immoderate benignant of ultimatum,” Zelensky added.

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