A peace summit is scheduled to take place in Switzerland in June – but Russia does not want to take part. Ukraine hopes to hold out until then with new missiles. The news at a glance.
Switzerland is organizing a peace summit to end the war in Ukraine. But Russia says it will not take part. The Russian embassy in Bern said Moscow had not received an invitation to the conference. “But even if we received an invitation for such an event, the Russian side would not accept it,” the statement continued. Without Russian participation, the meeting on Mount Bürgenstock would degenerate into another round of fruitless consultations. The summit is scheduled for June 15th and 16th.
The embassy explained the rejection by saying that only the peace plan of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was being negotiated in Switzerland. But its peace formula “is a collection of ultimatums against Russia and does not take our country’s national security interests into account.” Among other things, Zelensky had called for the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory – including from Crimea, which had been annexed by Moscow since 2014.
Moscow complained that other peace initiatives – including those from China and Africa – were not being taken into account at the conference. In contrast, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said when presenting the conference that the conference would go beyond the peace plan drawn up by Zelensky and also take into account existing proposals from other countries, such as China. According to Cassis, China has been invited, but there has been no response yet. Swiss media had also reported that Russia should also be invited.
Zelenskyj reports successes in rocket production
In his daily video message, Zelensky thanked Switzerland for the organization and announced a template for what he called a “just end to this war.” Until now, Ukraine has insisted on a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territories as the basis for a peace solution. Moscow, on the other hand, claims at least the territories it has conquered so far.
At the same time, the Ukrainian head of state announced progress in missile production. Series production has started and new models are being developed. It is now important that the military can convert the results of arms production into successes. Drones and missiles are considered the most important weapons in the war that has been going on for two years.
In view of the ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities from the air and the slow but steady advance of Russian troops on the ground, he also appealed to the population’s perseverance. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is doing everything he can to intensify the blows against Ukraine. Kiev is also strengthening its military capabilities. “But we need no less inner strength, an inner understanding that only the strong end the war on their own terms,” Zelensky said. Surveys recently showed that more than 80 percent of Ukrainians still believe in their own victory.
Dead civilians on both sides after mutual shelling
According to official figures, at least 4 people were killed and 14 others injured in Russian rocket attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. A ten-year-old girl was among those killed, the region’s military governor, Oleh Kiper, said on his Telegram channel. Several injured people are in critical condition. According to him, the attack was carried out with Iskander ballistic missiles.
On the other hand, three people were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the western Russian region of Kursk. The region’s governor, Roman Starowoit, said on Wednesday that two children were among the victims. Accordingly, in the town of Ananasovka, a few kilometers from the Ukrainian border, a drone dropped an explosive device on a car in which the civilians were traveling.
Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for more than two years and has repeatedly bombarded the neighboring country’s hinterland with drones and missiles. However, the Russian border regions are also increasingly complaining about Ukrainian shelling. However, the victims and damage on the Russian side are disproportionate to the number of dead and injured and the destruction that Moscow is causing in Ukraine.
