The final declaration in support of the Ukraine peace plan, discussed this weekend at a high-level summit in Switzerland, has not won unanimous support from participating world leaders. Up to 90 countries have attended this meeting in a luxury hotel in Bürgenstock, in the Swiss Alps, where they sought to develop a common understanding on the path towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and, above all, debate the president’s proposal Ukrainian, Volodymyr Zelensky, to end the Russian aggression against his country, which began on February 24, 2022.
The final text is a two-page document to which more than a dozen participating countries have adhered, in addition to the Vatican, mainly from the Global South, although not only: India, Brazil, South Africa (of the BRICS bloc), Mexico , Colombia, Indonesia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Thailand and Armenia.
The most important message that emerges is that the signatories, including Spain, ask that any future peace negotiations be carried out “with greater participation by representatives of all parties.” This is, in the end, a call for Russia to get involved. Moscow declined to participate from the first moment in this summit, which Russian President Vladimir Putin described days ago as “useless.”









Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov stated this Sunday that Putin does not rule out starting talks with Ukraine, but as long as guarantees are offered to ensure the credibility of any negotiations, Reuters reports citing Russian news agencies.
Zelensky has labeled this meeting from the beginning as a success for having been able to bring together so many world leaders – 56 heads of State and Government, and the rest represented at the ministerial level – around this discussion, despite the absence of key actors such as Russia – which was not invited –, China or Brazil. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba, has considered that the final text is balanced. “All principled positions that Ukraine had insisted on have been considered,” he said from kyiv.
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Kuleba has also hinted that Russia could participate in a future summit, but has dismissed demands made by Putin last Friday that kyiv give up four regions of Ukraine that Russia has occupied and abandon its goal of joining NATO. “We understand perfectly that there will come a time when it will be necessary to talk to Russia,” he acknowledged. “But our position is very clear: we will not allow Russia to speak in the language of ultimatums as it does now.”
Adherence to this declaration was a demonstration of Zelensky’s diplomatic success and support for his peace formula, a 10-point plan that he first proposed in November 2022, as well as a demonstration of Russia’s isolation among the international community. , something that has not been so demonstrated given the significant absences from the summit: China and Brazil have not attended because they consider that Moscow should have been present, although President Lula Da Silva sent an observer. Colombia canceled at the last minute because President Gustavo Petro believes doing so would mean aligning itself with Ukraine. Other powers such as the United States, India or Saudi Arabia have sent representatives but their heads of State or Government have not participated.

The countries adhering to the final declaration reaffirm their commitment to International Law and the United Nations Charter and, in particular, their refusal to resort to the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. . The document also defends the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all States, including Ukraine, within their internationally recognized borders, including territorial waters, and the resolution of disputes by peaceful means as principles of international law.
Reaching consensus on these points is important for kyiv because it means that the signatory countries agree to study only peace proposals that comply with international law, that is, that Ukraine recovers the territory defined in 1991, unless it is the country itself that want to redefine those limits. Also relevant is the indispensable condition that the peace proposals comply with the United Nations Charter, since this implies the right of Ukraine to continue defending itself from Russian attacks and to liberate the occupied territories.
The document, on the other hand, refers to the “war” launched by Russia against Ukraine, and not to “aggression”, a term that has been in and out of previous drafts because it was a demand of Zelensky, since the The word aggression refers to an international crime in which Russia is the perpetrator and Ukraine is the victim.
Food, nuclear security and prisoner exchange
The acceding countries have decided to adopt “concrete measures” in the three areas that have been discussed this weekend – food security, nuclear security and prisoner release. These have not been specified, but they have reached a common position on the three issues.
Regarding nuclear safety, the signatory countries declare that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear facilities must be “safe, secure and environmentally friendly.” Ukrainian nuclear power plants and facilities, including the Zaporizhzhia NPP, “must operate safely and securely under the full sovereign control of Ukraine and in accordance with the principles of the IAEA and under its supervision,” adding that any threat or use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine is inadmissible.
Secondly, global food security. In this regard, they declare that attacks against merchant ships in ports and along the entire route of the Black and Azov Seas, as well as against civilian ports and port infrastructure, are “unacceptable”. “Food security should not become a weapon of any kind. Ukrainian agricultural products should be supplied safely and freely to interested third countries,” the document says.
Regarding prisoners of war, they call for the release of all through a full exchange, and make explicit reference to illegally deported and displaced Ukrainian children, and other illegally detained Ukrainian civilians, who must be returned to Ukraine.
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