Ukraine may invite Russia to participate in further peace talks.
Andrey Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, said that Kyiv is open to the possibility of Moscow participating in the next peace conference.
Yermak held a live online call with reporters late on June 19 to give Kyiv's perspective on the peace summit held over the weekend at a resort in Lucerne, Switzerland. He revealed that working groups were preparing for a follow-up meeting.
According to Bloomberg, Yermak said: “All of these parts will be part of this overall plan, which will be supported by many countries” at the next meeting. “We think we might invite a representative from Russia.”
While Kyiv has received support from the US and its allies in its conflict with Moscow, Zelensky has long sought to gain acceptance from more countries for his “peace formula.” According to RT, the conference in Switzerland failed in that respect, with some participants refusing to sign the final communiqué and others withdrawing their signatures.
Many countries—especially China—rejected the invitation to the conference because Russia was not invited, arguing that this rendered any idea of peace negotiations meaningless from the outset. Zelensky's administration has outlawed any talks with the current Russian leadership.
Yermak stressed that the Swiss conference had been successful and said the next meeting would be “more representative.” He added that Ukraine was “realistic” and sought to unite “responsible states” in support of Zelensky’s formula.
Moscow has rejected Kyiv's proposed peace plan as unrealistic and even ridiculous, as it envisions Russia relinquishing Crimea, paying reparations, and complying with the rulings of a war crimes tribunal...
Ahead of the Swiss summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out a series of Moscow's preconditions for peace talks, beginning with Kyiv recognizing Russian sovereignty over Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye.
According to the Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, the Swiss conference was actually aimed at allaying doubts about the legitimacy of the Zelensky administration.
The Ukrainian president's term officially ends on May 20, and the country's constitution does not provide for extending it. Meanwhile, according to RT, some Ukrainian officials complain that Yermak is the real power holder in Kyiv and that his purges of rival officials have eroded Western trust.
