- Zelensky believes the summit will increase international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- He appeals to leaders who are not part of the Global Peace Summit to show leadership in advancing peace.
- Russia denies the conference’s relevance, stating it doesn’t serve its interests.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, urging them to join an upcoming peace summit as his country struggles to stave off unrelenting attacks by Russia in its 27-month-old invasion.
Recent weeks have seen Moscow’s forces advancing on the battlefield and escalating air strikes on cities, and Kyiv hopes that the June meeting in Switzerland will help increase international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In an English-language video recorded inside the charred remains of a printing press destroyed on Thursday in a Russian air strike, Zelensky declared that the summit would “show who in the world wants to end the war.”
“I am appealing to the leaders of the world who are still aside from the global efforts of the Global Peace Summit – to President Biden, the leader of the United States, and to President Xi, the leader of China,” he said.
“Please, show your leadership in advancing the peace – the real peace and not just a pause between the strikes.
Russia has stated that it sees no point in the conference to which Moscow is not currently invited. Zelensky made his comments two days after Russian sources informed Reuters that Putin was prepared to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognizes the current battlefield lines.
Zelensky and Ukraine’s supporters argue that a ceasefire will only assist Russia in rearming and regrouping. In recent months, Russia has made slow but steady gains along several parts of the sprawling eastern front and is attempting to push deeper into the northeastern Kharkiv region after launching a ground incursion earlier this month.
In an interview with Reuters last week, Zelensky emphasized the importance of getting as many countries around the table at the peace talks as possible. Putin has stated that he believes the talks may transform Ukrainian demands for a Russian withdrawal into an ultimatum for Russia.
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