Switzerland has agreed to organize a high-level peace summit at Ukraine's request, the presidents of both countries announced on Monday at a press conference in Kehrsatz, near the Swiss capital Bern.
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But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately warned that Russia would not be welcome at the summit.
“As for countries that want to participate, we are open to everyone, to all countries in the world that respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity. “So we can deduce who will be invited,” he replied to a journalist’s question about Russia’s possible participation in the summit.
“We hope that this summit will give significant energy to everything that was discussed. And we hope that the war ends justly and justice is restored. Switzerland is our partner in this,” he added.
In a press release issued after the press conference, Switzerland declared “ready to organize a summit conference on the peace formula” between high-ranking representatives at the request of the Ukrainian President.
The modalities for continuing operations will be determined. Federal President Viola Amherd assured that the two countries would begin work on the summit on Tuesday.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Switzerland has consistently maintained its military neutrality. It therefore refuses to send weapons to Ukraine or to allow countries, including Germany, to re-export Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine, which has sometimes earned it criticism in Kiev.
Nevertheless, it has joined the international sanctions against Russia and the Ukrainian president also welcomed Switzerland's humanitarian support on Monday, particularly in mine clearance.
Two conferences on demining, a key issue for Ukraine, will be held this year, one in the spring and the other in the fall, Zelensky told reporters.
Switzerland is heavily involved in this issue and has provided around 400 million francs (427 million euros) for Ukraine and its neighboring countries as part of international cooperation since the Russian invasion.
The Ukrainian president also said he hoped frozen Russian assets could be used for reconstruction. Freezing Russian assets should not be “just a punishment,” he said: “Whoever started this war must pay the ultimate price.”