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INTERNATIONAL – A first step towards achieving lasting peace. This is the hope of the vast majority of countries who gathered in Switzerland for the Ukraine peace summit over the past two days. Adopted this Sunday, June 16 at the end of the summit, their final declaration should help outline the path to putting an end to the biggest European conflict since the Second World War.
Of the nearly hundred states and diplomatic representatives gathered in Switzerland, nearly 80 countries decided to support this final declaration. Despite Russia’s more than notable absence from this unprecedented international event since the start of the war in Ukraine, the country of Volodymyr Zelensky can now count on this text to build “ lasting and just peace that he calls for.
HuffPost takes stock of what is contained in this final declaration, revealed before another strong speech by the Ukrainian head of state, as you can see in the video at the top of the article.
Founding stone for kyiv
Above all, the final text is based on the points of Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan presented at the end of 2022, which there is consensus, and on UN resolutions. He therefore reaffirms “the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine”.
The press release also demands the release “by complete exchange” prisoners of war but also “of all Ukrainian children deported and illegally displaced” in Russia. The text also calls for all illegally detained Ukrainian civilians to be “returned to Ukraine”.
This Sunday, delegations worked in three working groups on the most pressing issues. Discussions on food security focused on the crisis in agricultural production and exports and the destruction of fertile lands, without forgetting the risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance on Ukrainian soil. The final press release thus underlines that “food security must in no way be militarized” and that freedom of navigation on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov must be guaranteed.
Another crucial theme posed in writing in this document for peace: nuclear security. The final communiqué advocates a “total sovereign control” of Ukraine on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
Last point, and not least: the importance of “ involve all parties » to the conflict to put an end to hostilities. The absence of Russia and China at this summit led to a consensus: Russia must be part of the discussions to achieve “to a lasting and just peace”. The question of “how and when to involve Russia” remains open at this stage, recognized the President of the Swiss Confederation and host of the summit, Viola Amherd.
Russia can negotiate “tomorrow, if she withdraws”
This summit, organized at a time when Ukraine is in difficulty militarily, places kyiv in a delicate position. Even more so after the call for surrender launched by Vladimir Putin, who showed himself – in his own way – open to talks. The Russian president, however, set unacceptable conditions for kyiv, which amount to capitulating and abandoning territories recognized as Ukrainian by the international community.
Sharply rejected by the participants, this Russian posture inspired strong declarations from Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Russia and its leaders “are not ready for a just peace”thus accused the Ukrainian president, as you can see in the video at the top of the article. “We have to do our job, let’s not think about Russia, let’s do what we have to do. For now, Russia and its leaders are not ready for a just peace. It is a fact “he estimated.
This Sunday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov nevertheless invited Ukraine to ” to reflect on “ to the Russian president’s surrender proposal, assuring that it was not a “ultimatum” but “a peace initiative that takes into account the realities on the ground”. For Zelensky, Russia will be able to negotiate peace as soon as “tomorrow, if it withdraws from our territory”.
Another big absentee from the summit, China received a new call from Volodymyr Zelensky. The latter estimated that Beijing was “not not the enemy » of kyiv and that China « could help » Ukraine. To conclude this diplomatic summit from which Ukraine emerges strengthened, Volodymyr Zelensky nevertheless addressed a discreet attack to his allies, particularly Europeans: “There is help. There are important packages. Is this enough to win? No. Is it coming late? Yes. »
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