Summit on Peace in Ukraine: the Importance and Prospects

The Global Peace Summit in Switzerland will become one of the key factors in strengthening the positions of the democratic world in the confrontation with totalitarianism

Oleh Makhno

The modern world is characterized by the aggravation of the struggle between democracy and totalitarianism, increasingly moving from the ideological to the military sphere. The results of such a struggle will determine the essence of international relations and, in fact, the fate of all humanity in the near future.

Since the beginning of 2022, the most dramatic manifestation of these processes became the full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The unprovoked Russian aggression against the independent Ukrainian state divided the world into two irreconcilable camps and created a real threat of a global conflict between them, including with the use of nuclear weapons.

Such prospects are obvious, and their possible consequences are fully understood by both democratic and totalitarian countries. In general, they recognize the need for an end to the war against Ukraine and a peaceful settlement of Russian-Ukrainian relations, but guided by completely different principles based on their own interests.

In the first case, the main of such principles are compliance with the norms of international law enshrined in the UN Charter, as well as respect for freedom, democracy and equality in interstate relations. In the second, the creation of a precedent and conditions for the restoration of spheres of influence in the world and its new distribution, as well as a superiority of the “right of force” over the “force of law.” For Russia, it is also the possibility of establishing control over Ukraine as the main condition for the rebuilding of “Greater Russia.”

Despite the mentioned disagreements, the desire of most countries to avoid a serious escalation of the confrontation in the world opens up ways to reach compromises between them on the Ukrainian issue. The first step in solving this task can be the Summit on Peace in Ukraine (Global Peace Summit) on June 15–16 in Switzerland.

Of course, the summit will not be a prologue for a quick ceasefire on Ukraine’s terms. At the same time, it will contribute to the unification of the partners of Ukraine and other democratic countries on the basis of Ukraine’s Peace Formula. It is well known and provides: ensuring radiation, nuclear, food and energy security; cessation of hostilities; restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the world order; the creation of a special tribunal on Russian war crimes and an international mechanism for compensation for damages at the expense of Russian assets.

The adoption of a joint resolution or declaration of the support of Ukraine’s peace initiatives by the participants of the Peace Summit will be of great importance. It will strengthen the international coalition on providing assistance to Ukraine, consolidate the positions of democracy in opposing totalitarianism, and also neutralize Moscow’s attempts to justify the attack on Ukraine and the continuation of the war.

There is no doubt that such results of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine will have negative consequences both for Russia itself and for other totalitarian countries. A qualitatively new level of international support for Ukraine will significantly complicate the implementation of Russia’s aggressive plans for Ukraine, including the achievement of decisive successes in the war. Now, the Russian-Ukrainian war is at a positional stage, when there are relatively insignificant advances of the troops of both sides.

At the same time, the Russian troops suffer unjustified losses and have more and more problems with their replenishment. Russia no longer has the capabilities to carry out a large-scale offensive and break through the front line, which was recognized by Putin himself. In addition, Ukraine’s right to use Western weapons against military facilities on the territory of Russia extends the war deep into the Russian territory.

At the same time, the consolidation of the democratic world around the issue of supporting Ukraine contributes to strengthening its position in the geopolitical competition with China – the second world power after the USA and the most powerful totalitarian country. This directly contradicts the interests of China in its fierce struggle for the world hegemony. In addition, China supports Russia as its “tool” or “forward echelon” in countering the West, as well as a source of natural resources and a market for Chinese products.

Based on this, Russia and China are making great efforts to disrupt Ukraine’s peace initiatives and promote their own “peaceful” plans instead. Such plans also provide for an end to the war, but without the return to Ukraine of its occupied territories, compensation for damages and condemnation of Russia. They demand from Ukraine to abandon its Euro-Atlantic course and military cooperation with the Alliance, as well as the actual disarmament of the Ukrainian army, as a condition of Moscow’s agreement to a peaceful settlement of Russian-Ukrainian relations.

Therefore, Moscow and Beijing systematically created obstacles to the Summit on Peace in Ukraine. For this, active political and diplomatic work was carried out with the leadership of some countries. Thus, Russia and China pointed out the inexpediency of participation in the summit and its futility. At this, economic pressure was put on the mentioned countries, offering various economic preferences.

In a way, Russia and China have achieved their goals. In particular, only 100 out of 160 countries that were invited to the summit, agreed to participate. Some of them will send low-level officials to Switzerland.

However, it is important that enemies and opponents of Ukraine did not succeed in disrupting the Peace Summit. The leaders of those partner countries of Ukraine, which could not come to the summit, confirmed the support of Ukraine, including during personal meetings with the Ukrainian leadership. As the US President Joe Biden did during his meeting with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy on June 13, 2024.

As you know, the leaders of the two countries signed a 10-year security agreement, which confirms the support of the USA for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including concrete steps, planned by Washington for this purpose. To date, 17 such security agreements have already been signed and ten more are being prepared. The Summit on Peace in Ukraine will give a powerful impetus to this process.

That is, the Peace Summit in Switzerland will be essential for Ukraine, both in terms of creating the conditions for further negotiations on ending the war, including with the participation of Russia and China, as well as for further strengthening international support to Ukraine. Moreover, the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in fact, will become one of the key factors in strengthening the positions of the democratic world in the confrontation with totalitarianism.

The Source: Lenta UA
Translated by “Borysfen Intel” Centre