Ukraine Peace Summit: Russia, China absent as world leaders gather in Switzerland

China's absense to hurt Western hopes of isolating Russia

Biden's absence will be met by an applause by Putin: Zelenskyy

Ploy to divert attention: Putin

NEW DELHI: World leaders gathered in Switzerland on Saturday for Ukraine 's Peace Summit aimed at pressuring Russia to end its conflict with Ukraine. Notably, Russia and China opted out of attending, reported The Kyiv Independent.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes the summit attendees will work towards initiating a future peace process that involves Russia. "There are two days of active work ahead with countries from all corners of the world, with different peoples who are united by the goal of bringing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine closer," Zelenskyy said upon his arrival in Switzerland on June 14.Starting on June 15 and concluding on June 16, the summit brings together representatives from 92 countries and organizations. This is less than the 107 countries and international organisations that Kyiv reported had confirmed their attendance as of early June. US vice president Kamala Harris and leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan are expected to join Zelenskyy at the summit.China skipped the summit after Russia was excluded from the event on the grounds that it had dismissed Ukraine's summit as 'futile' and showed no interest in participating, according to Al Jazeera.With China absent, Western hopes of isolating Russia have diminished. Meanwhile, recent setbacks on the battlefield have put Ukrainian forces at a disadvantage.The Peace Summit is expected to address key issues including energy security, the exchange of captives, the return of deported children, and global food security, reported The Kyiv Independent.Zelenskyy added that the summit will allow the global majority to take concrete steps in important areas such as nuclear and food security and the return of prisoners of war and all deported persons, including Ukrainian children.India, Turkey, and Hungary, which have maintained friendly relations with Russia, are also expected to attend, as reported by Al Jazeera.Saudi Arabia is present at the summit despite its earlier announcement in June that it would not participate. The Ukrainian President had made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia on June 12.Brazil, the Holy See, the United Nations , and the Ecumenical Patriarchate are attending the summit as observers rather than full participants.US President Joe Biden will not attend the summit. This absence prompted Zelensky to say, "His absence would only be met by an applause by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, a personal, standing applause by Putin. I believe that the peace summit needs President Biden, and other leaders need President Biden because they will look at the US's reaction," Zelenskyy said.Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the event an important step towards progress. "Many questions of peace and security will be discussed, but not the very biggest. That was always the plan," he said to Welt TV before traveling to Switzerland."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."On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would only end the war if Kyiv surrenders the entire territory of four regions claimed by Moscow and abandons its bid to join NATO, reported CNN. Ukraine has rejected Putin's demand, labeling it 'a complete sham' and 'offensive to common sense.'Putin's speech on the eve of the Swiss peace conference detailed Russia's conditions for a 'final end' to the war more specifically than at any time since the conflict began in February 2022.The Russian President also called the conference 'another ploy to divert everyone's attention.' In addition to Ukrainian forces withdrawing from four regions, Putin demands that Kyiv demilitarize and that Western nations lift their sanctions on Russia.Putin's conditions highlight Russia's failure to achieve its initial objectives, which included capturing Kyiv in days and the rest of Ukraine in weeks. Now, nearly 28 months later, Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed ten years ago.