In Switzerland on Saturday, the Summit on Peace in Ukraine commenced with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressing the international community. Zelensky expressed his intention to present Moscow with a proposal for ending the war, once it had been agreed upon by the participating nations. Attended by representatives from over 90 countries, the summit aimed to establish a foundation for a just and lasting settlement with Russia.

During his address, Zelensky emphasized the importance of collective decision-making in determining what a fair and sustainable peace would entail. The Ukrainian President stated that once an agreement was reached, it would be communicated to Russian representatives. The hope is that a second peace summit can then finalize the end to the ongoing conflict.

However, Zelensky did not indicate whether he was prepared to engage in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prior to the summit, Putin laid out his own conditions for resolving the conflict, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the south and east of the country and the renouncement of Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO. Zelensky promptly dismissed these demands as a call for surrender rather than negotiations.

At the Saturday summit, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris echoed Zelensky's sentiments, characterizing Putin's demands as a non-negotiable stance. Western leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, pledged their support for Ukraine and emphasized the necessity of reaching a settlement on Kyiv's terms. They argued that a ceasefire without credible negotiations and a roadmap towards lasting peace would merely legitimize Russia's illegal actions.

While many nations rallied behind Ukraine, some from outside of its traditional circle of partners stressed the need to give Russia a voice and criticized Western sanctions targeting Moscow. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud cautioned that a difficult compromise might be necessary for Ukraine to end the conflict. Kenyan President William Ruto also voiced his concerns, condemning the recent G7 deal offering a $50-billion loan to Ukraine secured against frozen Russian assets as an unlawful unilateral appropriation.

The Summit on Peace in Ukraine sought to gather international support for Ukraine's objectives of achieving a just and lasting peace with Russia. As discussions unfold, the outcome remains uncertain, with disagreements over key issues such as Ukrainian troop withdrawal and NATO membership, reflecting the deep-rooted divisions between the parties involved.