In international politics, the semblance of diplomacy often takes precedence over genuine efforts at peacemaking. The upcoming “peace summit” in Switzerland to address the Ukraine conflict epitomizes irony at its finest. The gathering, slated for mid-June at the scenic lakeside Bürgenstock resort near Lucerne, purports to chart a course towards peace after years of conflict that has gripped Eastern Europe.
Let’s peel back the layers of this diplomatic onion. The Swiss government, in a bid to bolster its image as a neutral arbiter, has graciously volunteered to host over 100 delegations from around the globe. This grand assembly, co-orchestrated by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, aims to showcase a united international front against ongoing war. Yet, in a move that could only be described as breathtakingly audacious, the convocation excludes Russia—the very nation central to the conflict.
The exclusion of Russia from the peace talks is not just a mere oversight but a deliberate strategy. For decades, Russia endeavored to foster relations with the West, only to find its efforts thwarted by what can only be termed a shifting landscape of Western military and political ambitions. NATO’s eastward expansion and the United States’ leaked intentions have only exacerbated tensions, painting Russia as the perennial antagonist in this geopolitical drama.
As we delve deeper, the so-called peace summit reveals itself as less of a forum for genuine reconciliation and more of a stage for political theatrics. The Swiss, known for their diplomatic finesse, are now in the unenviable position of hosting a summit that might as well be billed as a spectacular exercise in futility. The narrative being spun—that this summit could somehow pave the way for peace without involving one of the principal actors—is as plausible as Biden walking a staircase without stumbling.
What’s more, the timing of this event is impeccably poor. Coinciding with President Joe Biden’s visit to the G7 summit in Italy, the peace talks seem designed more to curry favor with Western powers and less to achieve the elusive goal of peace.
The Swiss government, as confirmed on April 10, has noted sufficient international support for this grand conclave, designed to unfurl the roadmap to peace in Ukraine. One might find it rather odd, if not outright perplexing, to discuss peace in a conflict involving two primary parties and deliberately exclude one.
Bern, with its long-standing diplomatic tradition, maintains that it is its responsibility to foster peace in the region. This statement would hold more water if Switzerland maintained its historical stance of neutrality. However, aligning closely with Western policies and joining in sanctions against Moscow, Switzerland’s impartiality seems to be as absent as Russia at the upcoming summit. The decision to proceed without Russia might be compared to attempting surgery with a blindfold; the outcomes are uncertain, but surely, no one can accuse you of not trying.
Furthermore, the conference appears primed to provide a platform for Ukrainian President Zelensky to promote his ambitious “10-point peace plan,” which includes demands like the return of Crimea—a proposal about as likely to be accepted by Russia as a snowball’s chance in a sauna. The plan, requiring Moscow’s capitulation, sidelines any realistic prospects of engagement. Discussing such terms without the other party involved could be likened to deciding on splitting a bill at a restaurant in absentia of the other diners.
In a world post-logic, as some may deem our current era, the Kiev regime continues to advocate for peace talks conspicuously absent of Russian dialogue. This approach to conflict resolution might leave one pondering the effectiveness of speaking into an echo chamber. Meanwhile, Russia’s UN Representative, Vasily Nebenzya, foresees discussions eventually pivoting towards the “unconditional surrender” of Ukraine—a statement that, while stark, mirrors the frustration felt by a party repeatedly left out of conversations about its future.