Russian prisoners of war, nuclear security, grain exports – there is no shortage of topics at the Ukraine Peace Conference on the second day. But the toughest issue is likely to be the final declaration.
A Beethoven flash mob for the peace summit: on Lucerne’s Jesuitenplatz, more than seventy Ukrainian women who had fled to Switzerland set the tone early on Saturday evening – with the “Ode to Joy”. Not quite as cheerful, but certainly optimistic, sounded Ukrainian President Selenskyj at the Bürgenstock Conference at almost the same time.
“101 states and international organizations are here now. This is an enormous success,” said Zelensky. “It is the joint success of all those who believe that a united world, united nations, are stronger than any aggressor.”
57 heads of state and government met in central Switzerland near Lucerne, along with numerous ministers and other delegates.
Final statement still in development
It is said that work is still being done on the joint final declaration with which the conference is to end in the afternoon. Specifically, the second day of the summit will focus on three topics that will be discussed in working groups: prisoners of war and civilians in Russian hands, nuclear security, and safe ports and grain exports.
Already at the plenary session on Saturday it became clear how much Russia’s war in Ukraine is affecting the whole world. The farmers in his country know that there is a war in Ukraine, said the President of Kenya, William Ruto. Because the Kenyan farmers are suffering from higher prices and long delivery times for fertilizers.
Scholz: “Our security is at stake”
In his statement, Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that the war in Ukraine also affects people in Germany. “Our security is at stake,” he said. However, some country representatives also criticized the fact that Russia was not invited to the conference. The Chancellor also said that it was true that peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved without involving Russia.
Saudi Arabia is considered a possible mediator – and potential host of another peace conference – and also put itself forward at the Bürgenstock. The foreign minister of the kingdom on the Persian Gulf, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, recalled that his country had already successfully negotiated the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine. They had offered both countries “good offices” and were ready to mediate in order to bring the conflict closer to an end.
Peace is still a long way off, as many speakers at the summit stressed. Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, for example, spoke of a long road full of challenges. The first will be for the conference participants to agree on a joint final declaration today.