World leaders to meet to discuss Ukraine peace roadmap, Russia to be absent

NEW DELHI: The

presidents

of Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Somalia, along with numerous

Western leaders

, will attend a peace conference this weekend aimed at addressing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, notably without

Russia's participation

.
The Swiss-hosted event at the Bürgenstock resort near Lake Lucerne will see over 50 heads of state and government, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and around 100 delegations, including European bodies and the UN.
The attendance list is a major talking point, with critics suggesting the conference might be ineffective without Russian President Vladimir Putin's government. The US will be represented by Vice President Kamala Harris, while Turkey and Saudi Arabia are sending their foreign ministers. Key developing countries like Brazil, India, and South Africa will also be represented.
China, a Russian ally, is among several countries not attending, citing more urgent concerns than the European conflict. Beijing insists that any peace process must involve both Russia and Ukraine and has proposed its own peace initiatives.

Zelenskyy has been diplomatically active in encouraging participation. Meanwhile, Russian forces control almost a quarter of Ukrainian territory in the east and south and have made recent gains. Discussions about a Swiss-hosted peace initiative began last summer when Ukrainian forces had reclaimed significant areas near Kherson and Kharkiv.
The conference agenda includes nuclear safety, humanitarian assistance, prisoner exchanges, and global food security, topics seen as less contentious than Zelenskyy's 10-point peace plan from late 2022, which calls for Russian troop withdrawal, cessation of hostilities, and restoration of Ukraine's borders, including Crimea.

Putin's government seeks a peace deal based on an early draft agreement from the war's initial phase, which included Ukraine's neutral status and military limitations while delaying discussions on Russia-occupied areas. Ukraine's Nato aspirations have been a major issue for Moscow.
Analysts believe Ukraine is not in a strong negotiating position.
With recent global focus on Gaza and upcoming elections in 2024, Ukraine's supporters aim to refocus on Russia's breach of international law and restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity. Putin has dismissed the conference as a diversion.
As the conference convenes, the conflict continues. Russian Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of the Belgorod region reported Ukrainian shelling killed five people in Shebekino. Ukrainian officials reported shelling that killed at least two civilians and wounded eight others in the Kharkiv region, with shells hitting a kindergarten and homes.