“They didn't invite us”

Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 11 criticized the planned round of Ukraine peace talks in Switzerland, warning that Moscow would not accept any coercive plans that ignore Russia's interests.

Earlier, on April 10, the Swiss government said it would host a high-level international conference in June to help chart a path toward peace in Ukraine after more than two years of fighting and expressed hope that Russia could one day join the peace process.

The conference in Burgenstock will be held from June 15-16, according to Swiss broadcaster RTS. But Swiss officials have yet to confirm any specific dates.

Mr Putin said Russia had not been invited to the event in June, pointing out that Switzerland itself recognised that the peace process could not happen without Russia.

“They didn’t invite us there,” Putin told the Belarusian president, who was visiting Moscow. “Moreover, they think there is nothing for us to do there, but at the same time they say that nothing can be decided without us. It’s ridiculous and sad.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, April 11, 2024. Photo: Los Angeles Times

Russia has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace formula, which calls for Moscow to withdraw its troops, pay compensation to Ukraine and face an international court over its actions.

Speaking at a meeting on April 11 with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Kremlin, Mr. Putin said that Russia is ready for negotiations but will never accept “any plans that are not related to reality.”

Mr Putin asserted that Russian forces have gained the upper hand on the front line since Ukraine's defeat in a counter-offensive last summer.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned last week that upcoming talks to end the fighting in Ukraine could only succeed if Moscow’s interests were taken into account, dismissing the planned round of peace talks as a Western ploy to rally broader international support for Kiev.

The Ukraine Peace Summit is scheduled to be held at the Bürgenstock Hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland in June 2024. Photo: Swiss Info

Swiss President Viola Amherd said there was no guarantee that the upcoming Ukraine Peace Summit in her country would be successful, and believed it would not lead to an immediate peace deal either.

“We will not sign the peace plan at this conference. We think there will be a second conference, but we want to start the process with this conference,” Amherd told reporters in Bern on April 10.

Switzerland is still lobbying for as many countries as possible to join the conference. Earlier on April 6, Ukrainian President Zelensky said he hoped for 80-100 countries to attend. “I believe that this is the minimum number of countries that can try to force Russia to achieve a just peace,” he said.

US President Joe Biden is expected to travel to Switzerland to attend the peace conference, Swiss German-language daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) reported on April 9, citing several reliable sources .

Minh Duc (According to AP, TASS, Swiss Info)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/ong-putin-noi-ve-hoi-nghi-hoa-binh-ukraine-ho-khong-moi-chung-toi-a658687.html