Twelve states refuse to sign Zelensky ‘peace conference’ declaration
Twelve countries attending the Swiss-hosted Ukraine ‘peace conference’ have refused to sign the final communique. This is based on the list of countries that approved the document, RIA Novosti reported on Sunday.
According to the list, Armenia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE are among the states that did not sign the declaration, as well as four organizations, including the UN and OSCE. Meanwhile, 79 nations, including Hungary, Serbia, Argentina, Türkiye, and Georgia, as well as four international bodies, joined Ukraine in endorsing the document.
The final communique has not yet been made public, but according to Reuters, citing a June 13 draft, it places the blame for the “war against Ukraine” on Russia, accusing it of causing “large-scale human suffering and destruction” and “creating risks and crises with global repercussions.”
The document calls for Ukraine’s territorial integrity “within internationally recognized borders” to be respected – specifically, the restoration of Ukrainian control over the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, as well as access to sea ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The document also demands the release of all prisoners of war through a “complete exchange,” and the return of “deported and unlawfully displaced” Ukrainian children.
It is so far unclear why several attendees did not support the document. However, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said earlier on Sunday that any meaningful progress toward a peaceful resolution to the conflict would require Russia’s participation.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer earlier predicted that not all attendees would sign the declaration, because “it’s a question of the specific choice of words.”
Russia was not invited to attend the conference, and said it would not have taken part even if invited due to the exclusive focus on Kiev’s demands.
More than 160 participants were invited to the talks, but nearly half declined due to the absence of a Russian delegation. The final list of attendees included representatives from 92 countries and eight international bodies.
