What happened at the summit?
Between 15-16 June, Switzerland played host to a Summit on Peace in Ukraine led by its namesake at Bürgenstock. The Summit was hosted at the request of the latter and aimed at bringing the heads of state of over 90 countries together to develop a common understanding of the steps required to be taken for a  “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine.  The Summit had the following goals:

 First, to provide a platform to ensure dialogue that can result in a clear part toward peace in Ukraine.

 Second, to result in a common understanding from all countries of the framework required to reach the   previous goal.

Third, to define a roadmap that can involve both Russia and Ukraine in the process of achieving peace. 

Who were the participants to the summit?
While Russia and China were not present in the summit. According to the joint communique: “We reaffirm our commitment to refraining from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine.” The signatories included all the EU member states and the United States along with nations such as Ghana, Kenya, Argentina, Columbia, the Philippines, Qatar and Guatemala.

However, there were abstentions, with major diplomatic countries such as India, South Africa and Mexico choosing not to sign the communique despite having attended the talk. They showed their reluctance by choosing to not send their premiers to the talks.

What were the conditions kept by Putin?
On 12 June, a day before the summit, Moscow revealed their peace plan, which involves Ukraine giving up large parts of their territory and give up on their plans to join the Western military alliance NATO. In military terms, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded for a complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, after which he assured to order a ceasefire and begin negotiations. He also listed the lifting of Western sanctions as a condition for peace negotiations. Ukraine dismissed the terms and criticised the statement as a method to prevent “leaders and countries” from attending the Summit.

What is Ukraine's position in the Summit?
Kiev accused Moscow and Beijing of pressuring their allied nations to boycott the talks as well, which was denied by the latter. When asked about the nations choosing not to sign the statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instead chose to focus on the fact that over 90 countries affirmed their support for Ukraine’s cause and peace. He was quoted as, “This summit says that international support is not weakening. It is strong.” Zelenskyy hailed the Summit as the “First steps toward peace” and that Ukraine was already in talks with some countries to host a second peace summit.

What was the outcome of the Summit?
The Summit came to the following agreements upon conclusion:

First, the use and installation of any form of nuclear energy must be “safe, secured, safe-guarded and environmentally sound”. Ukrainian power plants are to be operated under the full sovereign control of Ukraine and any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the context of the conflict is inadmissible.

Second, food Security must not be used as a weapon in any manner and Ukrainian agricultural products are to be securely and freely provided. Any attack on merchant ships in ports and along the routes of Black and Azov seas, which includes civilian ports and infrastructure has been deemed unacceptable.

Third, all Prisoners of War are to be released in an exchange which is also party to the return of the displaced and deported Ukrainian children and other Ukrainian civilians.

The United Nations charter is to serve as a basis to achieve comprehensive and permanent peace in Ukraine. While Ukraine’s western allies dismissed the plan, they are convinced that Russia needs to be involved in order for progress towards peace to occur. However, the support Ukraine received at the Summit was a far cry from the 141 calling for Russian troops to leave Ukraine in March 2022 at the U.N General Assembly, showing signs of war fatigue, hesitancy to irritate Russia and a preference to maintain relations with Russia, its ally China and the Western powers that support Ukraine.

Russia deemed the Summit a sham and Putin slammed it, describing the Summit as a form of campaign for the leaders of the European Members who were affected by the recent election results and criticised them for using the conflict to gain votes. China questioned the legitimacy of the peace talks when one of the parties was absent at the conference. They also stated that due to Russia’s absence, the Summit had transformed into an echo chamber of Ukrainian support and thus, was not going to result in tangible conclusions. The premiers of Turkey and Saudi Arabia shared China’s sentiments.

References
Ukraine peace terms, Europe’s biggest threat, Zelensky’s fate: Putin outlines Moscow’s foreign policy goals, RT, 14 June 2024
Ukraine peace summit: Diplomatic support and political snubs, Deutsche Welle, 17 June 2024
Peace conference ‘hardly conducive to peace talks’; Western attendees go through motions at summit, Global Times, 16 June 2024