Ukraine Peace Summit begins

The Ukraine Peace Conference, hosted by Switzerland, has begun. The opening speech of the summit, which is being attended by 100 countries and organizations in the town of Bürgenstock, located next to Lake Lucerne in the canton of Nidwalden, was delivered by the host, President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd.

In her speech, Amherd stated that a peace process cannot be imagined without Russia and that a long-term solution must include both sides with the help of the international community. 

Stating that they have a long road ahead, Amherd said, "At this summit, we can move closer to a final understanding." Emphasizing that the summit will initiate a broadly supported process where voices from all over the world can discuss their ideas and perspectives, Amherd said, "Even if our goal is ambitious, it is in the interest of all of us here to strive to achieve it. As the international community, we can help pave the way."

Following Amherd, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took the floor and said that once accepted by the international community, he would present a proposal to Moscow to end the war. In his speech, Zelenskyy said, "We must decide together what a just peace means for the world and how it can be achieved in a lasting way."

PATHS TO A JUST AND LASTING PEACE WILL BE DISCUSSED

The Ukraine Peace Conference, where Turkey is represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the United States by Vice President Kamala Harris, aims to take the first steps toward initiating a peace process, to address paths to a just and lasting peace for Ukraine based on international law and the UN Charter, and to promote a common understanding for achieving peace. Representatives from the UN and European institutions are also present at the meeting.

RUSSIA AND CHINA DID NOT ATTEND THE CONFERENCE

While Russia was not invited to the conference, the Chinese government, which argues that any peace process must be initiated with the participation of both Russia and Ukraine, is also not present at the conference.