The broad participation in the Global Peace Summit demonstrates that the war in Ukraine has not left the international community indifferent. States want to pave the way for peace together.
The perspectives and initial positions of the countries differ. Swiss President Viola Amherd said this at a press conference on the occasion of the closing of the Inaugural Peace Summit.
"Most of the countries that gathered agreed on a joint communiqué," she said.
In the areas of nuclear security, food security and the human dimension, participants agreed that steps to build trust are possible.
"In the communiqué, we have defined a clear framework for these three areas, within which our further discussions should take place," she said.
The document has so far been signed by Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Canada, Chile, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Council of Europe, Denmark, Ecuador, and the United States, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, European Commission, European Council, European Parliament, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, East Timor, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay.
Eleven countries did not sign the communiqué, including Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and the UAE.
The full text of the communiqué has already been published on the website of the President of Ukraine. We reproduce it without changes:
“HIGH-LEVEL SUMMIT ON PEACE FOR UKRAINE
Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework
Switzerland, 15-16 June 2024
The ongoing war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine continues to cause large-scale human suffering and destruction, and to create risks and crises with global repercussions for the world. We gathered in Switzerland on 15-16 June 2024 to enhance a high-level dialogue on pathways towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine. We reiterated resolutions A/RES/ES-11/1 and A/RES/ES-11/6 adopted at the UN General Assembly and underscored our commitment to upholding International Law including the United Nations Charter.
This Summit was built on the previous discussions that have taken place based on Ukraine’s Peace Formula and other peace proposals which are in line with international law, including the United Nations Charter.
We deeply appreciate Switzerland’s hospitality and its initiative to host the High-Level Summit as expression of its firm commitment to promoting international peace and security.
We had a fruitful, comprehensive and constructive exchange of various views on pathways towards a framework for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, based on international law, including the United Nations Charter. In particular, we reaffirm our commitment to refraining from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, 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 through peaceful means as principles of international law.
We, furthermore, have a common vision on the following crucial aspects:
1) Firstly, any use of nuclear energy and nuclear installations must be safe, secured, safe-guarded and environmentally sound. Ukrainian nuclear power plants and installations, including Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, must operate safely and securely under full sovereign control of Ukraine and in line with IAEA principles and under its supervision.
Any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the context of the ongoing war against Ukraine is inadmissible.
2) Secondly, global food security depends on uninterrupted manufacturing and supply of food products. In this regard, free, full and safe commercial navigation, as well as access to sea ports in the Black and Azov Seas, are critical. Attacks on merchant ships in ports and along the entire route, as well as against civilian ports and civilian port infrastructure, are unacceptable.
Food security must not be weaponized in any way. Ukrainian agricultural products should be securely and freely provided to interested third countries.
3) Thirdly, all prisoners of war must be released by complete exchange. All deported and unlawfully displaced Ukrainian children, and all other Ukrainian civilians who were unlawfully detained, must be returned to Ukraine.
We believe that reaching peace requires the involvement of and dialogue between all parties. We, therefore, decided to undertake concrete steps in the future in the above-mentioned areas with further engagement of the representatives of all parties.
The United Nations Charter, including the principles of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, can and will serve as a basis in achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
The main thing about the Peace Summit
- The Global Peace Summit was held on 15-16 June in Switzerland. This was a founding summit aimed at developing a common vision for a just peace in Ukraine based on international law. The event focused on three points of Ukraine's peace formula: food security, nuclear security, prisoner exchange and the return of deportees.
- Zelenskyy said that 101 countries and international organisations had been united. According to him, there are also states that are not participating but have expressed interest. The summit communiqué will be open for signature by countries that did not attend.
- Ukraine expects China to join the peace process, said Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office. He added that China was not present at the summit, but was watching it.
- Russia also followed the summit, thanks to its journalists, who were admitted to the summit at the request of the Swiss side.
- Switzerland proposed to create a space for direct talks between Ukraine and Russia at the summit. President Viola Amgerd, who hosted the summit, said that if "we want to move the process towards peace, we will have to involve Russia at some point - this is clear to everyone. "As the international community, we can contribute to preparing the space for direct negotiations between the warring parties.
- President Zelenskyy said that "Russia is not here now, because if Russia was interested in peace, there would be no war. We must decide together what a just peace means for the world and how it can be achieved."
- Yermak said that a joint plan of all civilised and responsible countries for peace in Ukraine could be handed over to Russian representatives. This could happen at the second summit. His deputy, Ihor Zhovkva, clarified that direct talks with the Russians could not take place during the summit - it was not even on the agenda.
- The event included the first plenary session of the summit, which brought together leaders and high-ranking officials from different countries, as well as representatives of organisations. During his speeches, French President Emmanuel Macron said that peace cannot be achieved through Ukrainian surrender. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that freezing the Russian-Ukrainian conflict today would only lead to a further aggressive war. Polish President Andrzej Duda put the responsibility for the war solely on Russia, but urged not to forget the role of Alexander Lukashenko. And Finnish President Stubb expressed the view that Ukraine was starting the peace process from a position of strength.
How the idea about the Peace Summit came about
In November 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented Ukraine's proposals to the leaders of the Group of 20, which must be implemented to end Russian aggression as soon as possible and fairly. They contain 10 points. The proposals were called the Ukrainian Formula for Peace.
This winter, the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said that the first summit on the Ukrainian peace formula would soon be held in Switzerland. Different countries will participate, but Russians are not invited to the event. Yermak believes that the Russians can be invited to the second summit.
The Ukrainian peace formula includes ten points, including the restoration of territorial integrity to the 1991 borders. The first summit will focus on three points of the formula: nuclear and food security and the exchange of prisoners.