Kremlin says Ukraine peace talks ‘meaningless’ without Russia

Moscow:

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukraine peace talks scheduled for June in Switzerland were “pointless” unless Russia participated.

Switzerland announced on Wednesday that it would hold a high-level meeting on the conflict in Ukraine on June 15-16, with the exception of Russia.

Ukraine and as many as 100 countries will attend the meeting at the Bürgenstock luxury resort near the central city of Lucerne, chaired by Swiss President Viola Armheld.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We have said many times that the (peace) negotiation process without Russia’s participation is meaningless.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said any action against Ukraine that “ignores Russia’s position” is “out of touch with reality” and “has no vision.”

She also criticized President Zelensky’s proposed “peace package” that calls for Russia’s troop withdrawal from Ukrainian territory, financial compensation from Moscow and the creation of a special tribunal to try Russian officials.

Zakharova said: “As we all know, the ‘Zelensky Plan’ does not envisage compromises or alternatives and completely ignores the suggestions of China, Brazil, African and Arab countries.”

“We are confident that our partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America will remain vigilant and not be led into new anti-Russian adventures,” the spokesman added.

She also said Switzerland “cannot be trusted” because it “defends Ukraine’s position, supports the regime in Kiev, imposes anti-Russian sanctions and pursues a strategy of excluding Russia from the European security system.”

“Switzerland cannot be a neutral host in this situation, let alone a mediator,” Zakharova added.

The Swiss government agreed during Zelenskiy’s January visit to organize a peace conference this year.

It said in a statement on Wednesday that there was “sufficient international support for a high-level meeting to start the peace process”.

Traditionally neutral Switzerland has insisted from the start that Moscow must eventually be involved in the negotiations and has sought to attract China and other emerging powers to the meeting.

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