World Leaders Converge For Ukraine Summit Shadowed By Putin's Hard-Line Demands

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed a large gathering of world leaders at a Swiss alpine resort, tasked with developing a roadmap to end Europe's biggest war in eight decades, as a historical moment. However, the absence of Russian and Chinese officials dampened prospects for a major breakthrough.

Zelenskiy told reporters that representatives from 101 countries and international organizations have gathered in Burgenstock, a mountain resort near the Swiss city of Lucerne, for two days of talks about how to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that has killed or wounded hundreds of thousands of people on both sides.

"We have succeeded in bringing back to the world the idea that joint efforts can stop war and establish a just peace," Zelenskiy, flanked by Swiss President Viola Amherd, said in remarks on June 15 opening up the talks.

In holding the summit, Zelenskiy is seeking to rally a greater number of countries behind Ukraine’s cause, especially those from the so-called Global South, and maintain world attention on Russia’s brutal invasion. That has become more urgent amid some global fatigue with the 28-month war, fighting in the Middle East, and growing concern about Chinese aggression toward Taiwan.

Swiss officials hosting the conference said more than 50 heads of state and government, mostly from Europe, would attend the gathering. Other nations were sending lower-level delegations. European bodies and the United Nations were also expected to send representatives.

Vice President Kamala Harris and White House national-security adviser Jake Sullivan are representing the United States as President Joe Biden returned home to hit the campaign trail following a week in Europe, where he met with Zelenskiy twice.

China, whose economic and political ties with Russia have flourished over the past decade, driven in part by their opposition to the U.S.-led global order, declined to participate with Moscow's presence. India and Brazil, who along with China and Russia are members of BRICS, sent nonministerial officials.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who is attending the summit, said getting the Global South onboard is crucial to forging a roadmap toward peace and called the participation of Indian and Brazilian representatives a “first glimmer of hope.”

Nehammer said that “without parts of Asia, Africa, and South America, we will not be able to get the Russian Federation to change its mind."

Russia has turned for support to countries in the Global South, a bloc that makes up the majority in the UN General Assembly, amid isolation from the West and parts of Asia following its invasion of Ukraine.

In a possible attempt to undermine the Swiss gathering to which his nation was not invited, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised on the eve of the event to "immediately” order a cease-fire and begin negotiations if Kyiv gave up territory seized by Moscow and renounced plans to join NATO.

In an interview with RFE/RL on June 15, Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskiy, called Putin's statement "an attempt to hijack” the summit’s agenda. He said Putin’s plan was “nothing new” and “unrealistic.”

The June 15-16 summit is the culmination of Zelenskiy’s efforts over the past 19 months to engage global leaders in helping end the biggest war in Europe since World War II.

Switzerland agreed to host the summit with the hope it would pave the way for a future peace process that includes Russia. Zelenskiy did not want Russia to participate at this stage.

International Summit Debates Ukrainian Peace Deal In Russia's Absence

The Ukrainian leader first presented his 10-point peace formula virtually at the Group of 20 meeting held in Indonesia in November 2022. That was followed by four meetings between national security advisers of several nations, including Ukraine.

Zelenskiy’s plan calls on Russia to end hostilities, withdraw its troops from occupied Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, and restore Ukraine’s 1991 borders, something many experts say is ambitious considering Russia appears to have the upper hand on the battlefield.

But with Russia not present, only three themes will be on the table at this summit: nuclear safety, including at the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant; the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia, which has resulted in International Criminal Court charges against Putin; and global food security.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, one of the world's largest exporters of grain, caused food prices to surge, hurting impoverished countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East.

Ihor Zhovkva, Zelenskiy’s deputy chief of staff, told reporters on the sidelines of the summit that Kyiv decided to focus on those three issues "because the majority of the international community is united around these positions today."

Zelenskiy Adviser: Putin's Conditions 'Attempt To Hijack' Peace Summit

In response to a question by RFE/RL, Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskiy’s administration, told reporters on June 15 that the two-day gathering will conclude with a joint statement that would be presented to Russian representatives invited to the next summit.

The next summit could be held in Saudi Arabia, a nation that maintains good ties with Russia. Zelenskiy visited Saudi Arabia in the days leading up to the summit.

As summit participants gathered in Switzerland, Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine showed no signs of abating despite Moscow losing at least 350,000 troops to death or injury since 2022.

Ukraine’s General Staff said on June 15 that there had been more than 60 clashes with Russian forces over the past 24 hours.

Last month, Russia launched a small-scale offensive in the northern Kharkiv region, seeking to stretch Ukraine's outgunned and outmanned forces across the roughly 1,200-kilometer front line. The effort has slowed, as Ukraine rushed new units to the area, and reinforced positions.

But a lack of weaponry from the United States -- whose supplies stalled for months due to congressional infighting -- gave Russia a battlefield advantage, along with Ukraine’s inability to bring large numbers of fresh troops into the fight.

SEE ALSO: The Week In Russia: Summits, Sanctions, And Double-Talk About Talks

The recent battlefield setbacks have made Zelenskiy’s peace proposal look increasingly ambitious, experts have said.

Ahead of the summit, leaders from the Group of 7 major industrial nations announced a $50 billion loan package for Kyiv that will leverage interest and income from the more than $260 billion in frozen Russian assets.

Biden and Zelenskiy this week signed a security agreement that commits the United States over 10 years to continued training of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Biden, who will not be attending the summit despite pleas from Zelenskiy, also approved sending Ukraine a second Patriot missile system and imposed another round of financial sanctions on Russia.

The White House also eased restrictions that kept Ukraine from using American weaponry to strike inside Russia, allowing strikes into Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv.

Analysts say that is a contributing factor for Ukraine’s recent efforts in halting the Russian offensive there.

With reporting by AP, Reuters