Nearly 80 countries called on June 16 for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war, though some key developing nations at a Swiss conference did not join in. The way forward for diplomacy remains unclear.
The joint communique capped a two-day conference marked by the absence of Russia, which was not invited. China did not attend. Many attendees expressed hope that Russia might join in on a road map to peace in the future.
The all-out war since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people, unsettled markets for goods like grain and fertilizer, driven millions from their homes, and carved a wedge between the West — which has sanctioned Moscow — and Russia, China, and some other countries.
About 100 delegations, mostly Western countries, attended the conference that was billed as a first step toward peace. They included presidents and prime ministers from France, Germany, Britain, Japan, Poland, Argentina, Ecuador, Kenya, and Somalia. The Holy See was also represented, and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke for the United States.
India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates — represented by foreign ministers or lower-level envoys — were among countries that did not sign the final document, which focused on issues of nuclear safety, food security and the exchange of prisoners. Brazil, an “observer,” did not sign on but Turkey did.
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