Top Stories

Putin peace conditions criticized at Ukraine summit

Putin peace conditions criticized at Ukraine summit


The presidents of Italy and Germany have angrily rejected ceasefire proposals given forth by Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine, as dozens of nations gathered at a two-day summit in Switzerland to discuss ending the bloodshed. Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, referred to the Russian president's proposal as "propaganda" as it essentially said that Ukraine "must withdraw from Ukraine". Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany, rejected it as a "dictatorial peace". A draft statement from the conference categorically denounces any nuclear threat to Ukraine and reiterates its territorial integrity.


The statement, which will be officially accepted on Sunday, also says that the security of the world's food supply depends on commercial shipping via the Black and Azov Seas operating safely.


On Friday, Mr. Putin said that if Ukraine removed its soldiers from four areas that it believes it has partly annexed and occupied, he would consent to a cease-fire.


During the conference in Switzerland, Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, said to the BBC that "no compromise on independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity" will occur. Prior to the two-day Summit on Peace in Ukraine, where the fundamental ideas for putting an end to the conflict would be discussed, Mr. Putin made his conditions public. The event is being attended by institutions from over 90 nations. Since the full-scale invasion, this is Ukraine's largest assembly to yet.


However, there are no prospects of major breakthrough at this point since China, a crucial ally of Russia, was not invited and Russia was not invited. Ms. Meloni offered the following assessment of Mr. Putin's plan: "It doesn't seem particularly effective to me as an agreement proposal to tell Ukraine that it must withdraw from Ukraine." The Russian president was accused of "revolving a phoney narrative about his willingness to negotiate" by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He went on to say that nations providing Russia with armaments "are on the wrong side of history."


The event at the remote location in Bürgenstock is already being portrayed by Ukraine as a triumph, citing its international scope and the number of participating nations. According to Mr. Zelensky, Ukraine want to "give diplomacy a chance" and demonstrate that "joint efforts" might prevent conflicts. "I think that during this summit, history will be being created. May a fair peace be achieved as quickly as feasible," he remarked. China's absence was downplayed by his adviser, Mr. Yermak, a prominent player in Ukrainian politics, who proposed that Russia be presented with a unified peace plan whenever it is ready.


"We think that may take place Report Phrase at the second summit at the level of leaders," he said.

On Ukraine's conditions, Mr. Putin has already ruled out any type of peace process. Russia, which claims to have annexed the four Ukrainian areas in 2022, only occupies a portion of them. This is why Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from them. Both the West and Ukraine criticized the then-conducted vote process as being fraudulent.


Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said that "freezing the situation that exists today with foreign troops occupying Ukrainian property is not an answer". "In fact, it is a recipe for future wars of aggression," she said. Ukraine referred to Mr. Putin's proposals for a ceasefire as "offensive to common sense".

No comments: