Ukraine meeting
Switzerland wants to get Moscow at the negotiating table
One day before the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Ukraine and Switzerland are organizing a conference on Ukrainian peace plans in Davos. photo
© Gian Ehrenzeller/KEYSTONE/dpa
More and more countries are taking part in meetings about Ukraine’s proposals for a peace solution. This is considered a success and is intended to build pressure. It is intended to bring Russia to the negotiating table.
More than 80 delegations from all over the world took part in a conference in Davos on the proposals of the Ukraine for a lasting peace. Agreeing on basic principles for a peace solution on such a broad level could help bring Russia to the negotiating table one day, said Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis during the lunch break.
China, which did not take part, also needs to be included as much as possible, said Cassis. It is encouraging that countries in the Brics group of emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia and South Africa are keeping communication channels with Moscow open.
Ukraine’s peace formula takes center stage
The more countries participate, not just from the West but from all over the world, the more likely it is to find a creative solution, said Cassis. The focus of the conference was once again the so-called Ukraine Peace Formula. The ten-point plan calls for the withdrawal of all Russian troops, punishment for Russian war criminals, reparations and security guarantees. It was the fourth meeting of its kind. We have to give hope to the people of Ukraine, said Cassis.
Moscow has in the past described the trial as a farce. Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, wanted to speak after the conference ended in the evening.
Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian war of aggression with Western help since February 24, 2022. Neither side is ready to make any concessions yet, Cassis said. There is still a long way to go until a peace solution is reached. With such conferences at which a common language is found, the world is better prepared for dialogue with Russia. “The work does not end with this conference,” he said. Senior officials and national security advisors discussed in Davos. An advisor to the Federal Chancellor for foreign and security policy was there from Berlin. The next meeting will probably take place at a higher political level, said Cassis. But there are no concrete plans yet.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is expected in person in Davos. He wanted to give a speech on Tuesday at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The meeting begins on Monday evening. The WEF provided logistical support to the Ukraine conference. The German WEF founder Klaus Schwab stood in the front row next to Jermak and Cassis during the group photo with the participants.
In view of the stagnation in aid for Ukraine, such meetings serve Kiev to keep supporting countries in line and to attract new ones. The peace formula is not a wish list, said Jermak in the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung”. “The active participation of many third countries will give it enormous legitimacy.”