Approximately 40 world leaders have announced their intention to participate in a peace conference on Ukraine, set to be held in a luxurious resort in the Bürgenstock mountains overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland.
The Swiss government, which is organizing the talks, confirmed that around 160 heads of state and prime ministers have been invited to the conference.
Swiss President Viola Amherd stated in Bern on Monday that about 40 countries will be represented by lower-level officials. The conference will also see participation from representatives of the United Nations and other organizations.
Switzerland, known for its neutral stance, describes the summit as a “peace conference.” However, an agreement between the warring parties is not anticipated, especially given the absence of Russia.
China and other nations with close ties to Moscow will also not be attending the conference.
The Kremlin has condemned the event as Western propaganda. Despite this, diplomats and the Swiss government believe the conference could pave the way for further discussions that might eventually include Russia.
Amherd mentioned that high-level discussions will cover humanitarian issues, nuclear safety, freedom of navigation, and food security during the talks scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
Many leaders are expected to travel to Switzerland after attending the G7 summit in Italy, which begins on Thursday.
Among them will be German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. However, U.S. President Joe Biden will send Vice President Kamala Harris to represent him at the conference.
Biden recently stated that he reached an agreement with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, regarding the use of frozen Russian asset proceeds to aid Ukraine.
