Will the Russia-Ukraine war end? Conference may be held in Switzerland in June, India will play an important role
The world wants to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. For this, Switzerland has announced on Thursday that it proposes to host a conference at the level of heads of state. This is happening almost three months after the demand was made by Ukrainian President Zelensky. The conference aims to provide a high-level platform for dialogue to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter. The proposed date for the conference is June 15-16 at the Bürgenstock Hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland.
This date is special, because the summit of G-7 leaders is to be held in Italy from 13-15 June. Because of this, maximum attendance is expected. India is also invited to this peace conference. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis had met External Affairs Minister Jaishankar during his visit to India on 5 February. During this he had expressed hope of India’s participation. After this, in March, Zelensky spoke on phone with PM Modi. Later there was the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to extend invitation to India to participate in the conference.
Ukraine had demanded a conference
“During President Zelensky’s visit to Bern on January 15, Switzerland and Ukraine discussed next steps towards peace,” the Swiss government said. Switzerland agreed to host a high-level conference at Ukraine’s request. In June 2024, Switzerland will probably have the opportunity to discuss negotiations on peace in Ukraine. “The objective of the summit is to create common understanding and a concrete roadmap for the peace process,” the statement said. By organizing this conference, Switzerland is also making an important contribution to greater security and stability in Europe and the world.
What does russia say
According to the statement, about 120 countries will be invited at the level of heads of state. Zelensky expressed hope that there would be 80 to 100 countries that would at least be able to try to force Russia into a fair peace. He also admitted that he does not yet have any special list related to these countries. He said, ‘We will agree on how peace will be achieved in the coming days.’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned last week that discussions on ending the Ukraine conflict could only be successful if Russia’s interests were taken into account. Putin has been saying that there will be no peace until Russia’s goals are not achieved. However, due to the American election campaign, there are question marks on the participation of Biden, Jinping and Putin. The results of elections in India will come on June 4. Only after this the further course will be decided.
