As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 842nd day, world leaders gathered in Switzerland for a peace conference aimed at finding a solution to the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the summit, presenting his proposal for ending the war that involves Russia withdrawing from all of Ukraine, paying reparations, and facing justice for war crimes. However, Russia was not invited to the talks due to its refusal to engage in diplomacy and ongoing military aggression.
Despite Zelensky's efforts to gain international support for his peace plan, some countries questioned the value of peace talks that did not involve negotiations between the warring sides. China and Brazil declined to send high-level delegations, casting a shadow over efforts to win over the Global South.
The summit focused on three elements around which they hoped to find wide common ground: nuclear safety, food security, and humanitarian issues like exchanging prisoners of war and returning Ukrainian children unlawfully taken to Russia. Vice President Kamala Harris of the United States pledged her country's support for Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace.
Meanwhile, Russian army defectors live in fear of reprisal from Moscow after abandoning their posts in the ongoing war with Ukraine. Many also feel abandoned by the West, as they do not have the necessary passports and only have documents allowing them to reach neighboring Kazakhstan or Armenia.
The peace summit comes at a perilous moment for Ukraine on the battlefield, with Russian forces advancing against outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian units. Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough are nearly nil, and Maksym, a tank commander in the Donetsk region, expressed skepticism about the summit's ability to bring about meaningful change.
Sources: Al Jazeera and news agencies
