President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky today rejected the proposal of China and Brazil, who insist on the participation of Russia in the summit for peace in Ukraine, scheduled for mid-June in Switzerland.
"We don't think that Russia should participate in this, because Russia will block everything - that's clear," Zelensky told reporters in Madrid, where he is visiting. "She wants to destroy Ukraine, to wipe us out," he said, adding that one cannot have "any trust in (Vladimir) Putin."
Zelensky said that the mediators will be able to convey proposals to Russia when the participants of the upcoming summit agree on a document detailing the steps to establish a "just peace" in Ukraine based on the Kyiv peace plan.
According to him, participation in that conference on June 15 and 16 has already been confirmed by 90 countries.
"We are able to (...) find a way out of the situations that Russia brought about with this war, and then the mediators can show them to the representatives of Russia," Zelenski added.
"That's why we're inviting everyone now: we have our basic (plan), but we're open to hearing other opinions," he said.
On Sunday, Zelenski invited his American and Chinese colleagues to participate in that peace conference. Moscow, which is not invited, already predicts failure.
A strategic partner of Russia, Beijing reiterated its position last week in a joint statement with Brazil that it supports "an international peace conference at an appropriate time, recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation of all parties and with an honest discussion of all peace plans."
In a recent interview with AFP, Zelensky mentioned three issues that will be negotiated in Switzerland.
First is the free navigation of the Black Sea to protect the security of the world's food supply by allowing Ukrainian grain exports.
Another issue is the agreement on the call to stop attacks on energy infrastructure.
The third is the return to Ukraine of thousands of children deported to Russia, which is a crime - according to the International Criminal Court, which ordered the arrest of Putin.
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