DAVOS: More than 80 nations were holding talks on Sunday seeking common ground on Ukraine’s peace formula, as the Swiss co-hosts admitted that being ready to include Russia remains some way off.
National security advisors from 83 nations held a 4th round of discussions based on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ten-point proposals for an enduring and just peace in Ukraine, nearly two years on from Russia’s aggression.
The talks were co-chaired by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak, who heads Zelensky’s office.
Cassis told a press conference that the purpose is to prepare so that we are ready and ripe to start a process with Russia when the time comes.
He said the talks had to find a way to include Moscow at some point, but thus far, neither Ukraine nor Russia was ready to take such a step.
The meeting was being held in the luxury ski resort of Davos in eastern Switzerland on the eve of the 5-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit of the globe’s business and political elite.
Cassis said that rather than groups such as the G7, the G20, or the European Union (EU) coming up with their own positions or working through the “too polarized” United Nations Security Council, “here we try to speak together” and find a common language.
Brazil, South Africa, and India – nations that sit alongside Russia in the BRICS group – participated in the talks.
Ukraine’s Defense Requirements Discussed
Zelensky said they had discussed Ukraine’s defense requirements, including joint production of drones, artillery and further strengthening of air defense.
Cassis said their involvement was highly significant as they were still in dialogue with Russia and retained a certain degree of trust.
He said that getting collective momentum across a wide range of nations beyond simply those in the West made it more likely that a conflict exit route could be found.
