European officials explain why the Peace Summit in Switzerland may not have the expected effect

On June 15, representatives of dozens of countries from around the world will gather in Switzerland for the Peace Summit, which aims to stop Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. However, some officials in the West believe that the main task of the event will be to test the capabilities of Ukrainian diplomacy.

European officials have said that the absence of Russia's powerful allies, such as China, at the summit will weaken its potential impact. This was reported by Reuters.

The summit will be attended by dozens of Ukraine's allies, but China is refraining from participating after Russia was not invited as Moscow called the event a "waste of time" and was not interested in it. In addition, the West believes that the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas is also diverting attention from Ukraine.

The talks at the summit are expected to focus on the broader problems caused by the war. European officials say the summit will focus primarily on food and nuclear security, as well as freedom of navigation.

Richard Gowan, director of the UN International Crisis Group, said that "the summit risks showing the limits of Ukrainian diplomacy." At the same time, he added that the event is a chance for Ukraine to remind the world that it is defending the principles of the UN Charter.

European officials privately acknowledge that without support from Moscow's main allies, the summit's impact will be limited. Former Swiss ambassador to Australia, Singapore and Kuwait Daniel Walker said that the summit in Switzerland will be "another small step forward in international solidarity with Ukraine as a victim of Russian aggression."

At the same time, Ulrich Schmid, a political scientist and expert on Eastern Europe at the University of St. Gallen, said that the summit so far looks "mixed" given the demonstration of support from some circles and the absence of China. According to him, as long as dictator Putin is in power, it will be very difficult to achieve peace.

As a reminder, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva said that Ukraine is already preparing the second Global Peace Summit, which may be attended by the aggressor country Russia. This will be possible provided that Russia does not dictate its terms but listens to what other states say.

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