80 countries at Swiss conference agree Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be basis of any peace
Eighty countries called Sunday for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war, though some key developing nations at a Swiss conference did not join in — and the way forward for diplomacy remains unclear.
The joint communique capped a two-day conference at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland that was marked by the absence of Russia, which was not invited. Many attendees expressed hope that Russia might join in on a roadmap to peace some time in the future.
The all-out war since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people, unsettled markets for goods like grain and fertilizer, driven millions from their homes and carved a wedge between the West — which has sanctioned Moscow over the war — and Russia, China and some other countries.
Breaking down the U.S.-Ukraine security deal
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Analysts suspected the two-day conference would have little concrete impact toward ending the war because Russia, was not invited. China, which did not attend, and Brazil have jointly sought to plot alternative routes toward peace.
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said Saturday that his rich Gulf country hosted talks with both Ukrainian and Russian delegations on the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families that has so far resulted in 34 children being reunited.
The Ukrainian government believes that 19,546 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova has previously confirmed that at least 2,000 were taken from Ukrainian orphanages.
Montenegro Prime Minister Milojko Spajic told the gathering Sunday: “As a father of three, I’m deeply concerned by thousands of Ukrainian kids forcibly transferred to Russia or Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine.”
“We all at this table need to do more so that children of Ukraine are back in Ukraine,” he added.
Many countries saw the talks as a matter of principle, in part to uphold international law.
Kenyan President William Ruto called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “a horrible and horrifying spectacle of carnage and devastation,” and said his government has been unequivocal in condemning the aggression.
In Kyiv, at a regular demonstration by relatives of soldiers captured by Russia, the response to the Swiss gathering was muted.
“I would really like to believe that this (conference) will have an impact, but some very important countries did not sign the communique,” said Yana Shyrokyh, 56, whose army serviceman son has been in captivity since 2022. “I would really like them to find powerful levers of influence on Russia.”
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Source: cbsnews.com