Switzerland ‘ready to host’ Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Switzerland has said it is ready to host a peace summit between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva, despite a pending international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said the country was prepared to host Mr Putin at the UN headquarters in Geneva, but only if he were there to negotiate a peace deal.
Mr Putin has an outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children. The issue was reportedly raised at the White House meeting.
On Monday, the US President hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Mr Zelenskyy’s reception was described as “much warmer” than the February meeting between the two leaders. A wider session followed, with the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Finland, alongside the European Commission President and the Nato Secretary General.
French President Emmanuel Macron laid out what the security guarantees might entail: arming Ukraine and providing allied ground, air, and sea troops that could intervene at any time.
Military leaders from Nato are reportedly set to meet on Wednesday, 20 August, to finalise the details. Mr Trump told reporters that he had ruled out deploying US troops to Ukraine.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has been quoted as describing the situation by saying that the US was delivering weapons to Ukraine while its European allies in Nato were paying.
A virtual meeting of the “coalition of the willing” also took place, with more than 30 European countries reconfirming their support for Ukraine and its accession to the EU.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, however, insisted that if Kyiv wants peace, it should hand over territory to Russia.
Mr Zelenskyy said the issue of territory was a matter for him and Mr Putin to decide, adding that the matter was likely discussed in private, away from the cameras. Mr Trump reportedly hinted at the idea of territorial concessions by displaying a map in the Oval Office that showed not only occupied parts of Ukraine, but also Moldova and Romania.
The inclusion of Moldova and Romania on the map is considered to be an important element for post-war regional security. A Zelenskyy-Putin summit and a trilateral meeting with Mr Trump are expected in the next two weeks.
The US President reportedly spoke with the Kremlin leader by phone last night. He told reporters today that Mr Putin appeared “tired” and could either accept or reject the offer, adding that this would mean difficult times were coming for him.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
