Leaders and senior officials from over 90 countries have arrived in Switzerland to participate in the International Peace Conference on Ukraine, which will be held on Sunday, June 17. According to Reuters, this conference takes place with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in attendance, while Russia has not been invited, and China has also declined the invitation for the same reason. However, as Ukraine faces difficulties on the battlefield against Russia, China's absence at this conference diminishes hopes of isolating Russia globally. Additionally, the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas has largely diverted global attention from Ukraine. The discussions at the Swiss conference will focus on broader concerns arising from the war, such as food and nuclear security. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the wide participation of countries as a success and predicted that 'history is being made,' adding that the agreements from the Swiss conference will be part of the peace process for Ukraine. Alongside Viola Amherd, the President of Switzerland, he stated that Ukraine never wanted this war, calling Russia's military invasion a 'criminal aggression' and 'completely unprovoked.' German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also deemed the gathering an important step for dialogue on peace and security issues. At the same time, Kamala Harris announced over $1.5 billion in humanitarian and energy aid to Ukraine. Ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, especially in the energy sector, have reduced the country's production capacity by up to 50%. During a meeting with Zelensky, Harris stated that this war will be a 'total defeat' for Putin. Ahead of the Swiss conference, Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would only end the war if Kyiv agrees to abandon its NATO ambitions and cedes four provinces claimed by Moscow. Ukraine has rejected these demands. Putin's conditions seemingly reflect Moscow's increasing confidence in its battlefield superiority. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, claims that Putin's proposal 'shows the real path to peace.' However, some Western leaders believe that Russia's proposals should not be taken 'seriously.' The U.S., NATO, and Ukraine have rejected Putin's ceasefire conditions.
International Ukraine Conference with World Leaders Begins in Switzerland
An international peace conference on Ukraine is taking place in Switzerland with over 90 countries participating, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Russia was not invited, and China's absence raises doubts about isolating Russia globally. The conference aims to address broader issues stemming from the war, amidst ongoing conflicts in Gaza that divert attention from Ukraine.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
An international peace conference on Ukraine is being held in Switzerland with over 90 countries participating, focusing on issues like food and nuclear security amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
- Russia was not invited to the conference, and China declined to attend.
- The U.S. announced over $1.5 billion in aid to Ukraine during the conference.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Ukraine conflict began in 2014 with Russia's annexation of Crimea and escalated in 2022 with a full-scale invasion by Russia.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%