Switzerland believes that the Global Peace Summit on June 15–16 could open the way for a peace process in Ukraine. The summit has attracted representatives from over 50 nations, Swiss President Viola Amherd announced on May 15.
Amherd stated at a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin that the neutral Swiss government hoped for diverse participation from around the world and had sent out over 150 invitations.
The talks, scheduled to take place near the Swiss city of Lucerne, will primarily focus on how to lessen the threats posed by Moscow’s actions, according to diplomats and foreign policy experts.
More and more countries agreed to participate in the Peace Summit
Switzerland hopes to persuade more nations from the so-called Global South, as well as China, to join the forum for peace, she said.
According to Amherd, who agreed to host the meeting at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, countries from South America, Africa, and the Middle East have confirmed their attendance.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, is not invited
According to Amherd, the list of attendees will change until the last minute, with approximately half of the countries that expressed interest in participating being outside Europe.
In a post on the Ukrainian presidential website, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, the President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, and the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, Daniel Risch, confirmed their participation in the Global Peace Summit.
Last week, Zelenskyy said that Cape Verde was the first African country that had agreed to attend.
