Conference on Ukraine: the main points of the final communiqué

Around 80 countries agreed in Switzerland on Sunday that “dialogue between all parties” and respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity were the path to end the war launched more than two years ago by Ukraine. Russian invasion.

The overwhelming majority of the more than 90 countries represented at the Bürgenstock summit gave their support to the final declaration, which also called for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children deported by Russia, and a full exchange of prisoners of war.

But neither Russia nor China were represented and the statement did not receive support from countries such as India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Here are the main points:

Russia is held responsible for launching this war against Ukraine in February 2022 and the summit’s final document notes the devastating consequences of the conflict by calling for its “comprehensive” settlement.

“The Russian Federation’s ongoing war against Ukraine continues to cause large-scale human suffering and destruction, as well as risks and crises with global implications,” the statement said.

The signatory countries declare that they “reaffirm their support for the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine, within their internationally recognized borders.”

Russia currently controls nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.

The document also includes a call for the full exchange of prisoners of war, and the return to Ukraine of thousands of children deported to Russia and the territories it controls.

kyiv has accused Moscow of having kidnapped nearly 20,000 children since the start of its invasion. The Kremlin claims to have moved them for their own protection.

“All prisoners of war must be released in full exchange,” the final communiqué said.

“All deported and illegally displaced Ukrainian children, and all other Ukrainian civilians who were illegally arrested, must be returned to Ukraine,” he adds.

The summit demanded that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, which is currently under Russian control, be placed under the “full and sovereign” control of Ukraine.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly warned of the risk of a major nuclear accident since the Russian military took over this plant at the start of the war.

“Ukrainian nuclear power plants and sites, including the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, must operate safely under the full control of Ukraine,” the final statement said.

The signatory countries also expressed their concern about the possibility of resorting to nuclear weapons.

“Any threat and any use of nuclear weapons in the context of the ongoing war against Ukraine is unacceptable,” the text says.

“Food security should under no circumstances be used as a weapon. Ukrainian agricultural products must be freely and safely delivered to interested third countries,” the document says.

Ukraine is one of the world’s leading grain exporters, but the Russian invasion has hampered its exports via the Black Sea, which has become a war zone.

“Free, complete and safe merchant navigation, as well as access to ports on the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov, are essential,” it reads.

“Attacks on merchant ships in ports and on their maritime routes, as well as on civilian ports and their infrastructure, are unacceptable,” the statement added.

The document also suggests that future negotiations on a peace plan should include Russia.

“We are convinced that to achieve peace, the involvement and dialogue of all parties is necessary,” say the signatory countries.

The summit participants “decided to take concrete steps in the future in the above-mentioned areas, with the participation of representatives of all parties.”