The Swiss summit on Ukraine, which begins on June 15, will not yield any serious results. With the situation on the battlefield shifting in Moscow’s favor, Kyiv’s demands and the very meeting it is promoting “seem somewhat unrealistic,” writes The Responsible Statecraft reporter Connor Echols.
But while Zelensky has made some progress on the first point, he has had notable difficulties with the second. After the situation on the battlefield shifted in Russia's favor, Ukraine's demands and the summit itself "seem somewhat unrealistic," the author of the article notes.
Perhaps the most significant obstacle is the lack of credibility in the summit. Once neutral Bern has made no secret of its desire to punish Moscow and supports Western sanctions. These decisions are forcing the Kremlin to reject the prospect of Swiss mediation, undermining the chances of achieving any meaningful progress at the upcoming summit, Echols emphasizes.
According to him, another serious problem is the fact that Russia has not received an invitation to the talks. Ukraine has said that Moscow's representatives may eventually join the talks, but only on Kyiv's terms.
Russia's absence is the main reason why China will miss the Swiss summit. Beijing sent its representatives to several of the five previous rounds of talks under Zelensky's plan, but now China seems to be disappointed with Ukraine's approach, the journalist argues.
In his opinion, all these indicators “paint a gloomy diplomatic picture.” China and Switzerland are considered “hopelessly biased.” Attempts by other potential mediators, including Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and the Vatican, have not gained much popularity.
“The summit in Switzerland will undoubtedly include serious negotiations on important aspects of the Ukrainian plan. But all available evidence suggests that it will not bring us an inch closer to ending the war,” Echols emphasizes.
