Switzerland to invite Russia for peace talks regarding Ukraine
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The Swiss Foreign Minister has stated that his country will be inviting Russia for a peace conference regarding the Ukrainian war, but Russia will most likely decline.
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Switzerland's Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis speaks during a press conference at the Swiss Residence after meeting with Chinese officials in Beijing, Wednesday, February 7, 2024. (AP)
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told Sputnik that his country will be inviting Russia for a high-level peace conference for the war in Ukraine.
This comes after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described any efforts to establish peace between Russia and Ukraine are rendered "ridiculous" in the absence of Moscow.
As for the invitation Russia is most likely to get, Peskov said that Russia probably would not be in attendance, but would congregate with other parties and walk this path with its proper participation.
"It would be… naive to assume that within the next few weeks… a conference can be held that will bring peace. The goal is that we can converge on this path, including with the participation of Russia. So we have to imagine that there will be several steps along the way."
BRICS for Russia-Ukraine
Switzerland's Foreign Minister then said other conferences and meetings would be organized in different locations, including BRICS countries. After revealing that Switzerland is meeting with South Africa and Saudi Arabia, Cassis added that BRICS countries are also involved in the peace process in the Russian-Ukrainian war, and have plans to materialize these processes.
In addition to the Chinese plan, Cassis stated there are worldwide ones that have not been published for the public, and said the matter is not confined or reserved for the West.
When asked, Cassis said the Swiss peace conference's objective is to further discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace proposal, Cassis said, adding that "Russia also has its own peace plan, which is directly opposite to the Ukrainian plan, hence the complexity."
Zelenky's peace formula 'not realizable'
According to Russia's Foreign Minister, the West sees Volodymyr Zelensky's 10-point "peace formula" as the only peace solution for Ukraine even though it is absolutely "not realizable."
During a press conference in September 2023, at the UN General Assembly, Lavrov indicated that "everyone understands" that Zelensky's formula is "absolutely not realizable," explaining that no one in the West wants to "seriously" show understanding of the crisis. Therefore, the diplomat noted that the issue will be "resolved on the battlefield," since this is what they wish.
He also added that Russia is ready for negotiations but will "not consider any proposals for a ceasefire," since if they do, that would mean Russia was deceived.
Read more: No prospect for peace talks with Ukraine: Kremlin
