Swiss Aim to Host Conference on Ukraine Peace Plan Mid-June

(Bloomberg) — Switzerland aims to host a high-level Ukraine peace conference in mid-June with 80 to 100 nations mostly from the so-called Global South invited to attend, according to people familiar with the matter.

The conference may take place June 16-17, though it’s unclear how many leaders would be present, the people said, asking not to be named discussing confidential details. A key point of contention is whether China will participate, they added, which would be crucial for Switzerland to make the initiative credible. 

Ukraine’s allies see China’s presence as important for the success of the meeting given the influence they say Beijing has on Moscow more than two years into the war. 

A spokesperson for the Swiss foreign ministry said that the date and place of the conference haven’t been fixed yet.

“In addition to the perspectives of Ukraine, Russia and Europe, it is also important to listen to the Global South, which will play a key role in the eventual inclusion of Russia in the process,” the spokesperson told Bloomberg on Monday. “That is why we are in close contact with China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.”

So far, Beijing has only attended one meeting between national security advisers aimed at laying the groundwork for the summit. The US recently warned allies that China has been stepping up its support for the Kremlin, Bloomberg previously reported.

Several countries have been pushing for Russia to attend the meeting, but Kyiv wants a broad agreement on the key principles that would form the basis of any future settlement before engaging with Moscow. 

Ukraine’s so-called peace formula calls for respecting the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, the withdrawal of Russian troops as well as ensuring nuclear and food security.  

‘Very Broad Alliance’ 

Switzerland, which has historically remained neutral in European conflicts, is seeking to bring countries to the table to help end the war, although it’s struggled in those efforts so far. 

Russia is unlikely to participate in the first round of discussions, Defense Minister Viola Amherd said in February. Switzerland wanted to create “a very broad alliance consisting of BRICS states, countries from the Arab world, and from the Global South,” she added. 

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who said peace will only emerge “through the battlefield,” still lauded the Kyiv-sponsored forum, though said that there is “absolutely no” dialog with Russia on ending the war — “and I don’t think we can, nor should we.” 

“There’s a shift in the language coming from the Ukrainians and President Zelenskiy — and that is talk of a peace forum,” Stubb told CNN on Sunday. “We need to have that.” 

The high-level conference would follow four meetings of national security advisers that Ukraine has organized to build support for its formula. The last of those meetings was held in Davos earlier this year.

The Swiss city of Lucerne would likely host the summit if it were to go ahead, the people said. An official announcement from the Swiss cabinet could come as early as April 10, one of the people said.

–With assistance from Bastian Benrath and Jennifer Jacobs.

(Updates with comments from Finnish president in 11th paragraph.)

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