On Sunday 16 June, the representatives of 82 states and international organisations, including the EU, gave their support to the Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework issued by the Swiss Presidency at the end of the High-Level Summit for Peace in Ukraine. More than 100 countries and organisations took part in the Summit, but not all of them signed the Joint Communiqué, including Armenia, Jordan, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.
Recalling that the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to cause widespread human suffering and destruction and to create risks and crises with global repercussions, the participants underlined their commitment to upholding international law, including the United Nations Charter. “The United Nations Charter, including the principles of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, can and will serve as a basis in achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, they promised. “This war is an odious attempt to replace the force of law with the law of force”, Charles Michel denounced in a speech.
The signatories also reaffirmed their “commitment to refraining from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine, within their internationally recognized borders, including territorial waters, and the resolution of disputes through peaceful means as principles of international law”.
The declaration also takes up the three points developed during the working sessions: nuclear energy, humanitarian law and food security. For example, “any use of nuclear energy and nuclear installations must be safe, secured, safe-guarded and environmentally sound”; global food security depends on uninterrupted manufacturing and supply of food products and all prisoners of war must be released by complete exchange.
Believing that peace could only be achieved through participation and dialogue between all parties, the participants decided to take concrete steps in the future in all three areas, “with further engagement of the representatives of all parties”. For Mr Michel, “Peace requires dialogue. Any future dialogue with Russia must be based on international law and the United Nations Charter. And it is up to Ukraine to decide when this will be possible”, he emphasised.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that “the road to real peace requires patience and determination”.
To see the statement: https://aeur.eu/f/coh
On Monday 17 June, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov claimed that the results of the conference were “close to zero”. According to him, many participants understand “that any serious discussion has no future without the presence of Russia”. Mr Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “always open to dialogue and serious, substantive discussions”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)