On June 16, the second day of the Global Peace Summit will be held in Switzerland. IA “FAKT” collected the main theses from the statements of the participants of the summit – the world leaders of the states and made a “cloud of words”. The word “peace” sounded most often at the summit.
President of the European Council Charles Michel:
“Peace demands a dialogue with the Russian Federation. It is Ukraine that must determine when this will be possible. This future dialogue must be based on international law and the UN Charter. Ukraine can always count on the EU.
Putin’s unacceptable demands are intended to legitimize the invasion and undermine peace efforts, while Russia rearms and prepares for a protracted war. The aggressor cannot dictate the terms of the ceasefire”.
Head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell:
“Russia continues the war in Ukraine and shows no real interest in the peace process. The purpose of Putin’s unacceptable demands is to legitimize the invasion [of Ukraine] and undermine peace efforts while Russia rearms and prepares for a protracted war. …The aggressor cannot dictate the terms of the ceasefire. … The terms of peace are set out in the UN Charter and the General Assembly resolution on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which was supported by 141 states.”
President of Switzerland Viola Amgerd:
“Decisions regarding peace in Ukraine will have to be made with the involvement of the aggressor country Russia. …Our goal is to launch a widely supported process in which voices from all corners of the world can discuss their ideas and perspectives. […] We understand very well that the peace process is unthinkable without Russia, both sides must be involved in a long-term solution
Importantly, many summit participants are using the forum to express their support for a peace process, a process outside of any armed action.
We have no illusions that we will reach a final understanding at this summit, but we can get closer to such an understanding […] step by step. The last 28 months have made it clear that the war in Ukraine has far-reaching consequences for the international order, for those in the territories directly affected by the hostilities, and for the lives of millions of people around the world.”
Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak:
“Russia is not interested in establishing real peace, unlike other participants of the summit in Switzerland. Vladimir Putin initiated a long diplomatic campaign against the summit, ordering countries not to attend. We should ask: why does Russia feel that it is so threatened by a summit where the basic principles of territorial integrity, food and nuclear security are discussed?”.
Let us recall the words of the Russian representative at the UN, who declared that the only topic for any international meeting regarding Ukraine would be “the unconditional surrender of the Kyiv regime.” This will never happen. Because aggression cannot and should not win.”
French President Emmanuel Macron:
“A prerequisite for peace in Ukraine can only be help in repelling Russian aggression. The capitulation of Ukraine cannot be a path to peace. All of us are committed to building sustainable peace. But, as has already been said, such peace cannot become Ukrainian capitulation. Therefore, a prerequisite for peace is to help Ukraine repel aggression.”
President Joe Biden’s national security aide Jake Sullivan:
“The conditions put forward by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine are absolutely absurd dreams. Their implementation will lead to further Russian dominance. …China is absent from the conference in Switzerland, probably at Russia’s request.”
US Vice President Kamala Harris:
“It is necessary to preserve the international system based on rules, which Russia has shaken with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s actions, if not punished, will encourage other aggressors and lead to chaos, not order and stability.
Putin’s “peace plan” is unacceptable. We must speak the truth: Putin is not calling for negotiations, he is calling for surrender. America supports Ukraine not out of charity, but because it is in our strategic interests.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin:
“Vladimir Putin has no right to impose any conditions on Ukraine to achieve peace. In order to start peace talks, Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the territory of four of its regions, as well as declare that it has no plans to join NATO. … Putin can even today stop the unprovoked war, in which he lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed and wounded, if he wants to. And we urge him to do it and withdraw his troops from the sovereign territory of Ukraine.
…The US and its allies need to increase the supply of weapons to Ukraine, as the conflict has entered a key stage.
…Putin illegally occupied sovereign Ukrainian territory. He is not in a position to dictate to Ukraine what it should do to achieve peace.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
“Russia’s offer of peace is not benevolent, it confirms their purpose. It is not Ukraine that must withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory, it is Russia that must withdraw its troops from occupied Ukrainian territory.”
President of Poland Andrzej Duda:
“The Russian Federation does not act alone. To solve a number of its tasks in Ukraine, the aggressor state uses Putin’s puppet – Lukashenka. He not only allowed the Russian army to attack Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, but also initiated a series of hybrid attacks against the eastern borders of Poland and the Baltic states. Attacks that lasted three years.
…Only the aggressor country Russia is to blame for the war in Ukraine.
The peace agreement that will be worked out should ensure the sovereignty of Ukraine, as well as its right to an independent policy without the influence of Moscow.”
President of Finland Alexander Stubb:
“Ukraine is starting the process of peace in the war with Russia from a position of strength. I think Ukraine is actually starting this process towards peace from a position of strength. Much stronger than she was three weeks ago and even more so three months ago.
Our country also has a border with Russia with a length of about 1.3 thousand kilometers, which cannot help but worry me, given the occupation on the eve of World War II.
This week has been good for peace. Why? Because this summit is happening, because the G7 summit happened. Because negotiations with the EU regarding Ukraine’s membership begin this week. And also in view of the support that NATO allies provide to Ukraine. So, I think that Ukraine started its path to peace from the position of a force that is now much stronger than it was three weeks or three months ago.
The fact that we have 60 heads of state and government representing about 100 countries is already an achievement in itself. It is very important for us in the Global West to listen to the voices we heard today. I listened attentively to the President of Kenya, the Presidents of Ghana and Chile, the Prime Minister of Qatar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa. As wars are going on all over the world and all of them are calling for peace. But for those who have come from places far from Russia, it is important to understand why many of us feel uneasy.”
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen:
“Freezing the conflict will provoke further wars. Freezing the conflict today, while foreign troops are occupying the territory of Ukraine, is not the answer. In fact, this is a recipe for further wars of aggression.
We need to support integrity, a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Such a peace that will restore the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine and all states.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz:
“Now the decision to cease fire will freeze the war and will be dangerous for Ukraine and Europe in general. …No country wants peace more than Ukraine. But let’s be honest, peace is more than the absence of war.”
Prime Minister of Italy George Maloni:
“Putin’s proposal is a propaganda move. The negotiation proposal to tell Ukraine that it should withdraw from Ukraine is not effective. To me, it looks more like a propaganda move than a real one.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tajani:
“The position of the Italian government is clear. Italy wants Ukraine to remain at the center of the national and international agenda. Our political goal is a just peace. We are not at war with Russia, but unfortunately, there is no sign of peace from Putin. In fact, this war could end at any moment if Russia stops its aggression against Ukraine and restores Ukraine’s territorial integrity. A just peace cannot mean the surrender of Ukraine and the continued occupation of its territory by Russia.
Today, we must also work together on three key areas for the future of Ukraine: nuclear security, food security, and the release of prisoners of war and the return of deported Ukrainian children.”
Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte:
“The fact that Putin came out with this stupid ‘peace proposal’ yesterday is a sign that he is panicking, that’s good news.”
Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković:
“Our country will support only such negotiations that do not require Ukraine to surrender and relinquish its territories. Croatia will never support a peace in which the victim has to capitulate and surrender their territories.”
Prime Minister of Estonia Kaia Kallas:
“Attempts to pacify Russia, in particular through territorial concessions, are not the way to peace, but to a new big war. I am concerned when I hear that there are peace initiatives that do not take into account the principles of the UN Charter. We should be careful not to give the impression that some principles, such as the territorial integrity of Ukraine, are secondary.
It is necessary to learn from the mistakes of the past and not make concessions to the aggressor. Many countries suffered from colonialism, including my country, which for almost half a century, until 1990, was part of Russia, a colonial state. At that time, there was also a lot of talk about peace, but it was peace on Russian terms, with the oppression of all national Estonians.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud:
“Any reliable peace process requires the participation of Russia and suggested holding a potential peace summit in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia takes a courageous position and has always tried to resolve conflicts peacefully and through dialogue. Any credible process also requires the participation of Russia.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:
“If Russia is present at the Peace Summit in Switzerland, it could be more result-oriented.
…Regardless of the proposed content and conditions, these are important steps and a glimmer of hope to begin with. However, each side sees the other’s actions as a continuation of a broader military effort.
The participants of the summit in Switzerland are aware of Ukraine’s “peace formula” and Russian citizen Putin’s ultimatum for “peace talks”. Regardless of the proposed content and terms, these are important steps and a glimmer of hope from which to begin.
President of the country Salome Zurabishvili:
“Ukraine is fighting for the security of all of Europe and even more. At the same time, Georgia fully understands the conditions in which Ukraine has been living for more than two years due to the full-scale invasion of Russia.
Ukraine is fighting for the values of democracy and for the restoration of the rule of law. Georgia also has this experience: before Buchi there was Abkhazia, and before the war in Ukraine there was Russia’s war against Georgia. And before the occupation of Ukrainian territories, Georgian territories were occupied. …Our country shares the concern about nuclear safety in the world.”
President of Argentina Javier Millay:
“For us, for Argentina, this is an important step: we first went to the G7 Summit and now to this Peace Summit. It’s part of the big changes we’re making as a country after decades of turning our backs on the world.
We Argentines are well aware of the value of peace and democratic coexistence, which are the guiding principles of life and society. On behalf of the Argentine people, I want to express our unlimited support for the people of Ukraine and our friend President Zelenskyi. Our country, which defends the ideas of freedom, condemns any form of violence.”
Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen:
“The basis and path to peace in Ukraine should be devotion to the UN Charter, international law and the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity around which the participants of the Global Peace Summit have united. Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukrainian cities shows how far we are from peace.
We are united here today around a shared understanding and shared commitment to the UN Charter and international law, the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. This is and should be our foundation and path to peace. If we don’t stand up for these principles, what are we all worth?
I think we all understand that it is not easy to achieve a just and sustainable peace, especially because Russia does not want peace either in Ukraine, or in neighboring states, or in the Sahel region, or in the Middle East. Therefore, we need to continue to communicate, have an intercontinental dialogue and move forward together.”
President of Chile Gabriel Borich:
“Russia should sit down at the negotiating table to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, we condemn Russian aggression and call to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and ensure food security at the Global Peace Summit. We insist on respecting human rights. We are in favor of finding a solution to this conflict. International law cannot be violated!
…Nuclear power plants of Ukraine must be protected.
…Ukraine must preserve its sovereignty and ensure food security, because hunger can never be used as a weapon.”
Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani:
“The result of the summit should be proposals for mechanisms for a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict with the participation of all interested parties. Qatar’s position is based on the principles of the UN and the inviolability of borders in resolving the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
I reiterate the call of the State of Qatar to all parties to abide by the UN Charter and international law, to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, to uphold our collective commitment to the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means, and to refrain from the threat or threat of the use or resort to force.”
Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida:
“I look forward to the discussions that will result from this summit in the coming days and to exploring the appropriate mechanisms that will ensure that all parties engage in constructive dialogue to achieve a peaceful solution. In accordance with international law and the UN Charter. We support the establishment of a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, which will be based on the principles of international law and will not justify a unilateral change of borders.
I now see representatives of 100 countries and international organizations here, and we are talking about peace for Ukraine. We are united here by one goal – we all hope that peace will be restored in Ukraine as soon as possible. This peace must be just and lasting, and it must be based on the principles of international law, including the UN Charter. Such a peace should never justify a unilateral change of borders.
Immediately after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Japan began applying tough sanctions against the Russian Federation and providing strong support to Ukraine. And since today it is Ukraine, and tomorrow it may be East Asia, today I signed a bilateral document with President Zelensky, which states that support for Ukraine will continue.”
President Ghani Nana Akufo-Addo:
“Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea has led to significant food shortages and rising prices in African countries. Russian aggression against Ukraine constitutes a violation of international law and has an impact on all countries, particularly African countries. The consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war are far-reaching, disrupting global supply chains, destabilizing markets, and deepening economic hardship for millions of people. The African continent was particularly affected.”
Therefore, at the summit, the leaders of the states created a platform for dialogue with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter. The participants seek to develop a common understanding of a possible framework for the peace process and define a road map for engaging both sides in the future peace process. However, peace is still far from being achieved.
