Zelensky: Russia is not ready for a “just peace”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this Sunday that Russia is now “not ready for peace” and that this is demonstrated by the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal that in order to start negotiations Ukraine must abandon the territories illegally occupied by the Russian forces. “They are not ready for a just peace,” Zelensky insisted at a press conference that closed the Ukraine Peace Summit held in Bürgenstock, Switzerland.

“We must do our job, let’s not think about Russia, let’s do what we have to do. At the moment, Russia and its leaders are not ready for a just peace. It’s a fact,” she said. Putin, he added, has made several “historical mistakes” since he began his aggression against Ukraine and that this proposal is one more of them. Russia can negotiate peace “tomorrow if it withdraws from our territory,” Zelensky insisted, after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared himself open to dialogue.

China could help
He also maintained that Putin was wrong to try to sabotage the summit by convincing countries that are more or less close to him not to attend. Specifically, he was asked about China, a country that he did not consider an “enemy” of Ukraine. China is a country allied with Russia and has been accused of contributing to Moscow’s war effort by supplying components. Beijing decided not to participate in this weekend’s peace summit because Russia would not be absent. “China could help us,” Zelensky stressed.

Despite the fact that the United States resumed sending aid, blocked for months, and even yesterday announced new shipments, and that other Western allies committed to strengthening their cooperation, Volodymyr Zelensky considered that the current volume of aid provided will not be enough to win war. “There is help. There are important packages. Is that enough to win? No. Are you late? Yes,” Zelensky said.

Proposal for new meetings
At the closing plenary session of the summit, organized in Switzerland with the attendance of 92 countries and 55 leaders, the acting Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, reproached Russia for not having participated. “This meeting sends a very strong message to Putin and I would like to say this to him: ‘Many at this table have said that Russia should have been here and I completely agree. Today, you should have been here,” he stated, summarizing the feelings of many of the participants.

The Summit for Peace in Ukraine started yesterday and today culminated with a joint declaration in favor of Ukrainian “territorial integrity”, from which some participants distanced themselves. Swiss President Viola Amherd said her country was willing to host new international meetings if necessary. Her Foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis, even suggested organizing a new follow-up conference before the US elections (held in November). Source: news

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