The overhyped gathering at the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland, ostensibly meant to bring about peaceful end to the Ukrainian conflict, has been heavy on blowing hot air but light on achieving meaningful results.
Volodymyr Zelensky's 'peace' summit in Switzerland was a waste of time and money, a former US army officer says.
The attendance by just 92 out of 160 countries invited, with some led by “low-level people,” shows just how little importance the world out on the event, said Earl Rasmussen, retired Lieutenant Colonel of the US Army and veteran international consultant.
“I think it shows a level of importance right there,” Rasmussen said, noting that US President Joe Biden snubbed the summit altogether while his Vice-President Kamala Harris only spent a few hours there. “I think for the most part, it was a waste of time and dollars.”
Some of the global powers that did attend the summit refrained from signing the final joint communique that, as the pundit pointed out, was based on Volodymyr Zelensky’s “unrealistic” ten-point plan calling for Russia to surrender parts of its own territory.
“That plan itself is unrealistic. It's not part of reality. It's some parallel universe or illusion that he has on it,” Rasmussen said.
According to the retired officer, the countries of the Global South have mostly sought to remain neutral on the Ukrainian conflict, which the BRICS countries’ refusal either to attend the summit or to support the closing statement highlights.
“I think they had some issues with some of the statements made in communique as well,” Rasmussen said. ”And even that was a limited communique and they just don't have that support within the Global South for the direction that this peace summit is attempting to take.”
Rasmussen pointed out that the ongoing bloodshed in the Ukrainian conflict zone was a product of “Western geopolitical aspirations,” and that “every time there were potential breakthroughs and peace settlements, they were interfered with by Western powers.”
He mocked the use of the term “international rules” in the communique, noting how the text “mentions international law” but ignores the right self-determination, with Western powers refusing to acknowledge the decision of former Ukrainian regions to join Russia.
“What's the international rules? It's whatever the West decides. And the rules change on a given time. Do we see international rules applied in Gaza? Well, I guess there are different rules,” Rasmussen said.
“The whole thing was not a peace summit," he argued. "It was a rallying point in attempt to gather more support, to shift support against Russia, I think, and more towards Ukraine and perhaps to gather additional funds or commitments, funds and weapons as well for Ukraine.”
“The whole thing was not a peace summit," he argued. "It was a rallying point in attempt to gather more support, to shift support against Russia, I think, and more towards Ukraine and perhaps to gather additional funds or commitments, funds and weapons as well for Ukraine.”
Rasmussen also suggested that Zelensky’s immediate call for another so-called peace summit were “another waste of time” unless his Western sponsors “come to reality.”
“You need to discuss true peace settlements and options, and discussion and to accept and discuss security guarantees for all parties involved," Rasmussen concluded. "And until that's done, that's a waste of time and money and I think just dilutes the whole intent and the tragedy of this whole situation.”
Zelensky’s 'Peace Conference' Was Doomed to Be Pointless Without Russia - Bundestag MP
Volodymyr Zelensky’s Swiss-hosted "peace conference" on Ukraine was bound to be pointless without Russia’s participation, Steffen Kotre, Bundestag MP for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, told Russian media.
As a result, it was reduced to nothing more than a venue for political posturing and wishful thinking, he said.
“It was to be expected that the conference would not bring any results, since Russia did not take part in it. The United States and its allies once again offered Ukraine pledges of support, and promised to supply it with weapons. Therefore, Zelensky spouted assurances that Russia can be defeated. This is nothing but wishful thinking, and is far from reality. In three weeks, everyone will have forgotten about this conference,” Kotre said.
According to the German politician, there can only be one first step on the path to peace – an "unconditional ceasefire." He added that the "rights of [Russian speaking] minorities must be respected,” and underscored that “Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO if Russia’s security interests are to be taken into account.”
“Territorial issues must be resolved jointly by the conflicting parties,” Kotre emphasized.
Switzerland offered to host the conferenceto discuss Volodymyr Zelensky's 10 -point "peace plan" at the Burgenstock resort near Lucerne on June 15 and 16. While delegations from 92 countries and eight organizations, including the European Union, Council of Europe, and UN agreed to participate, major heads of state such as US President Joe Biden, China's President Xi Jinping, as well as the leaders of Brazil, South Africa, and India opted to give the summit a miss.
US Vice President Kamala Harris arrived at the conference in place of Joe Biden, who opted to attend a California fundraiser instead. China urged for a real peace conference to be held that would be recognized by both Russia and Ukraine. Colombian President Gustavo Petro pulled out at the last minute, as the summit was not a "free forum" for peace between Moscow and Kiev.
The process of achieving peace in Ukraine requires Russia's participation, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said. "Any credible peace process in Ukraine requires Russia's participation," he underscored during his speech at the conference in Switzerland.
BRICS countries, as well as several other states that attended the Swiss-hosted summit on Ukraine, did not sign a joint declaration on the results of the talks on Sunday, the signatory list displayed by the organizers on the screens of the press center revealed.
The document was signed by 79 countries out of 91 present, but Armenia, Bahrain, Brazil, the Holy See, India, Indonesia, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates did not sign it.
Russia dismissed the conference, to which it was not invited, as “meaningless.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the summit was not result-oriented, as it was impossible to hold peace talks on Ukraine without Russia's participation.
The goal of the conference is to deliver an ultimatum to Russia in the form of Zelensky's "peace plan," Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said.
Zelensky’s 'Disappointing’ Peace Summit Mirrors 'Russia’s Continuing Power' - Western Media
Britain’s The Telegraph acknowledged the “disappointing end” to the Ukraine summit in its headline story. It went on to dub the peace declaration “watered-down.” It also noted that the final document was not supported by all the delegations, and that the process was a “fraught” one.
©Photo : The Telegraph
The Guardian similarly highlighted that key global powers like Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates failed to sign up to the summit’s communique, and that China snubbed the event.
©Photo : The Guardian
The fact that the final document of Zelensky’s summit came up against key refusals reflected “Russia’s continuing international economic power and influence,” the Financial Times begrudgingly admitted.
©Photo : Financial Times
Bern-based Swissinfo of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation referred to the summit as having been a “struggle,” and noted that it ended with an “unresolved declaration.”
©Photo : Swissinfo.ch
Politico suggested that the peace summit on Ukraine “looked more like another UN General Assembly.” It whimsically remarked that “Russia’s ghost loomed over the summit,” after Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out conditions for an end to the Ukraine conflict the day before the summit started.
©Photo : Politico
It “reinforced the reality that the Kremlin eventually will have to be dealt with,” Politico summed up.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s summit on Ukraine held in Switzerland fell short of its goals, with major powers and high-level representatives largely absent, including US President Joe Biden, China’s President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The joint declaration on the results of the talks on Sunday was signed by 79 countries out of 91 present, but Armenia, Bahrain, Brazil, the Holy See, India, Indonesia, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates did not sign it.
Russia, which was not invited to the gathering, dismissed it as “meaningless.” Its goal was to deliver an ultimatum to Russia in the form of Zelensky's "peace plan," Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said.
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