The only way to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine is with Putin. But how? Signs of solidarity and helplessness at the peace conference in Switzerland.
The long road to peace: Zelensky and many other heads of state want to take it Photo: Laurent Cipriani/ap
BARI/BÜRGENSTOCK/LUZERA taz | In fact, things are going very well for Volodymyr Zelenskyj. A large part of the international community is united behind the Ukrainian president. NATO allies continue to collect ammunition and air defense systems. Zelenskyj is probably one of the most frequent guests at international events. The president at war who wins and has to score points on a diplomatic tour and who never leaves without expressions of solidarity.
But signs of support seem bitter, cynical and not enough when Russian dictator Vladimir Putin bombs Ukraine day after day. Ukraine is in the third year of the Russian invasion. Putin's army is advancing towards the east of the country, repeatedly bombing residential and public buildings and destroying energy and water supplies. There is no end in sight to the war.
This weekend, Zelensky himself invited people to talk about a path to peace. Along with Switzerland, which considers itself a neutral country, a country that does not want to be a mediator, but rather a platform for those who have a real interest in lasting peace.
Almost 100 delegations attended, many of them from the Global South. US Vice President Kamala Harris, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz are present. Saudi Arabia sent its Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, several African leaders came, including Kenyan President William Ruto, and Argentine President Javier Milei came from Latin America.
China is not coming, India is.
A success for the Swiss organizers: despite pressure from Moscow on the BRICS allies, India sent a delegation. Although it was not President Narendra Modi who attended the G7 summit, he is at least a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs with ministerial rank.
Until recently, there were high hopes that China would send a representative, as the country has great influence over Putin. But the efforts failed. Russia also does not participate in the round table where the next steps towards peace are discussed.
Heads of State and Government, political observers and high-ranking diplomats are transferred by helicopter to a luxury resort in Bürgenstock, about 20 minutes from Lucerne. If you take the rural route, you will pass green meadows, country houses, the bus station next to the playground and hear the ringing of cowbells. The towering mountain peaks are hidden behind clouds of fog. Creating peace in a world that could hardly be more idyllic.
Scholz says this is about sending a clear signal of support for Ukraine. But before the meeting he reduced expectations of him and it can also be interpreted that US President Joe Biden did not simply travel from the G7 summit to Switzerland, but sent his vice president Kamala Harris.
Scholz speaks rather confusingly about a garden that should flourish and prosper, about a small plant that needs to be watered now. And that conversation channels are needed. Also to Putin. Scholz is one of many present at this meeting. Germany is Ukraine's second largest arms supplier after the United States. To create peace, we need the countries of the Global South, the combined strength of the global community.
Dense sequence of supporting statements
High above Lake Lucerne, William Ruto, president of Kenya, makes it clear that the Russian invasion is not just a problem for Ukraine. “A Kenyan farmer knows that Russia is waging war against Ukraine. His fertilizer is expensive and arrives late,” says Ruto. These are trade routes that have been cut off by war, causing even more hunger and misery on the African continent. And so Ruto lists the violence in Sudan, the anguish in Somalia, the conflict in Mali. It is not a war in Europe, but one that has shaken the world and its order.
Since the start of the war, there has not been a comparable sequence of international dates for aid to Ukraine like last week. At the reconstruction conference held earlier this week in Berlin, Ukrainian companies and German business representatives signed contracts for the development of infrastructure, energy supply and local public transport. The value: at least 16 billion euros. There should also be a fund through which the project can be coordinated.
Just one day after the Berlin conference, Zelensky received around $50 billion in loans at the G7 summit in Apulia, southern Italy, with unclear conditions. But the billions should flow quickly. The US wants to keep a part, at least the EU, and everything will be financed with the help of the interest that could be generated by the frozen Russian assets. The only thing that needs to be clarified before granting the loans is something that the people of Bari never tire of emphasizing.
Added to this good news is that EU Member States have agreed to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
The road to real negotiations is still long
After the party comes the hangover. US Vice President Harris says we must end this brutal war. But on Ukrainian terms. Putin had made an offer while Zelensky was flying from Bari to Bürgenstock: he was willing to have a ceasefire if Ukraine gave up the occupied territories and to join NATO in the future. Harris rejected Putin's proposal, citing Ukraine's independence and sovereignty. He does not have a peace proposal, but he does have another aid package worth billions for Zelensky.
According to diplomatic circles, the road to a real round of negotiations with Russia is still very long. Putin himself showed no interest in participating beforehand, but a follow-up conference is necessary; This has broad support. Possible meeting point: Saudi Arabia.
Will the Bürgenstock peace conference remain one more event in a series of talks after those in Copenhagen, Jeddah or Davos? Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, like many of her neighboring states (Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia and Moldova, which are directly threatened by Russian aggression) puts it succinctly: “We know what is at stake. Let's learn from our past mistakes.”