The Swiss government announced today that the country will host a two-day high-level conference on peace in Ukraine in June, although Russia has given a clear signal that it will not participate, Reuters reported, citing BTA.
Switzerland said back in January that it would hold a peace forum at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after consulting with the EU, the G7 and countries such as China and India, which have backed the initiative.
"There is currently sufficient international support for the high-level conference to launch a peace process," the Swiss government said in a statement.
The conference will take place on June 15 and 16 in the Bürgenstock resort complex, which is located near the city of Lucerne.
The purpose of the consultations will be to draw up a working framework to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, as well as a "concrete roadmap for Russian participation in the peace process".
Although Moscow says it is not opposed to starting peace talks, Russian officials have said they will not participate in the talks in Switzerland. They believe that this country has abandoned its neutrality because of its position on the war in Ukraine, notes Reuters.
Swiss authorities have not yet published a full list of participants in the conference.