There will be no direct talks between Ukraine and Russia at the peace summit - this format is out of the question, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva assured on the sidelines of the event in Switzerland.
The inaugural summit is intended to launch the peace process. The summit will bring together those countries that are ready to talk and act in a meaningful way, he explained.
"The president has explained more than once why Russia is not at this summit, so I will not dwell on it. The further process will be discussed at this summit, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. But it is clear that this summit will be the beginning. We do not aim to solve all the problems at this summit," said the deputy head of the Presidential Administration.
Nuclear and food security and the release of prisoners were chosen for discussion at the first summit because these three topics united the majority of countries.
As a result of the summit, work will continue on these three points of the peace formula, as well as on the rest.
When asked about possible Russian representatives at the next summit, Zhovkva advised to focus not on who they would be, but on whether Russia would understand that it remains the only aggressor country that wants to continue its aggression.
He added that the current summit represents countries that have their own dialogue with Russia - they can become communicators with the Russians to tell them about the decisions of the international community. Zhovkva believes that if Russia had been present at the summit, the process would not have started.
- Russia's participation in the first peace summit, which has now begun in Switzerland, is not foreseen - Yermak said this back in February.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that the purpose of the first summit was to develop a joint peace plan with as many countries as possible, which could then be handed over to Russia.
- On the sidelines of today's event, the head of the Presidential Office said that a joint plan of all civilised and responsible countries for peace in Ukraine could be handed over to representatives of Russia. This could happen at the second summit.