MOSCOW: Russia’s foreign ministry criticized plans for a Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland on Wednesday, denouncing it as a futile initiative driven by the US Democratic Party ahead of the upcoming US presidential election.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, quoted by the state-run TASS news agency, attributed the conference to American Democrats seeking to bolster the perception that their “project ‘Ukraine'” remains relevant. “American Democrats, who need photos and videos of events that supposedly indicate their project ‘Ukraine’ is still afloat, are behind this,” Maria Zakharova stated.
Meanwhile, the Swiss government announced that it would host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine in mid-June but confirmed that Russia would not be attending.
The conference, scheduled for June 15-16 at the luxury Burgenstock resort near Luzern, will be hosted by Swiss President Viola Amherd. She emphasized that while the event marks a step towards achieving lasting peace, it will not result in the signing of a peace plan.
Russia swiftly condemned the planned conference, dismissing it as part of a scheme by US President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party. Zakharova reiterated Russia’s stance, highlighting the event’s political motivations.
Switzerland, aiming to involve Russia in future talks, expressed hope for subsequent conferences. While acknowledging Russia’s absence from the initial meeting, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis emphasized the necessity of Russian participation in future peace processes.
The Swiss government disclosed that it had engaged in discussions with various states, including G7 members, the European Union, and representatives from the Global South. The conference aims to establish a forum for high-level dialogue and develop a roadmap for Russia’s involvement in the peace process, in alignment with international law and the UN Charter.
