Ukraine peace summit seeks to take first steps towards a 'just and lasting' peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy predicted “history being made” at a Swiss-hosted peace summit on Saturday, which aims to plot the first steps towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine.

Mr Zelenskyy was joined on stage by Swiss President Viola Amherd as they outlined the issues the 92 global delegates, including representatives from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, will be aiming to tackle when the two-day summit starts on Saturday evening.

Due to Russia boycotting the talks, few big breakthroughs are expected to happen, but President Amherd said the summit will start the process towards a "comprehensive just and lasting peace".

"We will not be able to negotiate peace for Ukraine here but we wish to inspire a process for lasting peace and we wish to take concrete steps in this direction," she said.

"For these reasons we have decided to organise this conference at the request of Ukraine. Switzerland is committed to peace and dialogue as a small but highly globally interconnected country.

"The UN forms the basis of a rules-based order and Russia's attack violates this in the most serious way. People in the war zones have been experiencing immeasurable suffering for almost two and a half years. The erosion of respect for international law harms not only them but everyone in the long run," President Amherd added.

"If we wish to inspire a process towards peace, Russia must also be involved at some point in time that is clear to all. As an international community we can prepare the ground for direct talks between the warring parties. That is what we are here for.

President Amherd said discussions will focus on nuclear safety, food security, prisoner exchanges, the release of Ukrainian civilians and the return of abducted Ukrainian children.

Ahead of the talks, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that any credible peace talks on the war in Ukraine will need Russia's participation and that it would involve "difficult compromise".

"We believe it is important that the international community encourage any step towards serious negotiations, which will require difficult compromise as part of a road map that leads to peace," he said.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Russia’s allies are “on the wrong side of history” and urged them not to provide support for Moscow

“They should look at Bucha, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and they should reflect on the choice they have made", he said

“They are placing themselves on the side of the aggressor – and on the wrong side of history. Mr Putin has no interest in a genuine peace."

Mr Zelenskyy already sought to cast the gathering as a success, saying: “We have succeeded in bringing back to the world the idea that joint efforts can stop war and establish a just peace.

“I believe that we will witness history being made here at the summit."

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the conference ”just another ploy to divert everyone’s attention”.

The International Crisis Group, an advisory firm that works to end conflict, earlier said with Russia's absence the Burgenstock event is “unlikely to deliver much of consequence”.

“Nonetheless, the Swiss summit is a chance for Ukraine and its allies to underline what the UN General Assembly recognised in 2022 and repeated in its February 2023 resolution on a just peace in Ukraine: Russia’s all-out aggression is a blatant violation of international law,” it said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the gathering an important step.

"Many questions of peace and security will be discussed, but not the very biggest. That was always the plan," he said, speaking to Welt TV.

"This is a small plant that needs to be watered, but of course also with the perspective that more can then come out of it."

Joe Biden has sent US Vice President Kamala Harris to represent him, while the UAE will be represented by Anwar Gargash and Saudi Arabia by Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

China had said it would consider taking part, but ultimately declined because Russia would not be there.

“Even if they are not here today at the first summit, we have succeeded in bringing to the world that joint efforts can stop war and establish peace,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

Russian troops now control nearly a quarter of Ukrainian land in the east and south, and have made some territorial gains in recent months.