Switzerland To Hold June Conference on Ukraine Conflict, Invites India

New Delhi: After almost two years since the conflict began, Switzerland has announced to host a high-level international conference in June this year aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine. Switzerland's government said that it will hold a conference following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request and the Swiss President, Viola Amherd, will preside over the meeting.

The June conference “aims to provide a platform for a high-level dialogue on ways to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine based on international law and the UN Charter”. Zelenskyy had asked the Swiss government to hold such a meeting in January this year.

The Swiss June Conference has been alongside the G7 summit in order to attain maximum summit. The G7 summit is scheduled for June 13-15 in Italy, while the Swiss confernce has been proposed on June 15-16, said reports. The Swiss June Conference will be held at the Bürgenstock hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland.

Ukraine Wants India On-Board

Switzerland has asked New Delhi to gauge its interest in taking part in the summit. This comes amid Ukraine's push for India being a part of peace talks with Russia. 

Last month, when the Ukrainian President spoke with Prime Minister Modi, he not only thanked India for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty but also said that it will be important for Kyiv to see New Delhi attend the inaugural Peace Summit in Switzerland.

In conversation with the Indian Prime Minister, Zelenskyy hailed India's continued humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine as the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen their bilateral partnership in various spheres.

Won't Accept Enforced Plan: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Moscow would not accept any enforced plans that ignores its interests. Putin charged that Russia hadn't been invited to join June's talks, while pointing at Swiss recognition that a peace process can't happen without Russia. Russia had already dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula requiring Moscow to pull back its troops, pay compensation to Ukraine and face an international tribunal for its action.

“They aren't inviting us there,” Putin said. “Moreover, they think there is nothing for us to do there, but at the same time they say that's it's impossible to decide anything without us. It would have been funny if it weren't so sad." Speaking during Thursday's meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Putin said that Russia is open for negotiations, but will never accept “any schemes that have nothing to do with reality.”

Putin has repeatedly said that he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to protect Russian interests and prevent Ukraine from posing a major security threat to Russia by joining NATO, while Kyiv and its allies have denounced Russia's military campaign as an unprovoked act of aggression.