Zelensky: Ukraine and the world want Russia to participate in the upcoming peace summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed the desire of his country and the whole world to see Russia participate in world conferences aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

As Russian forces regained momentum on the front line and Allied aid to Kiev dwindled, Zelensky launched an ambitious diplomatic initiative to end the war, now in its third year.

Leaders and senior officials from more than 90 countries arrived in the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock on June for the first peace summit, which Russia considered a waste of time.

But Zelensky recently suggested that Moscow should be represented at the planned second summit, reflecting a change in approach after Kiev explicitly excluded Moscow from the first.

“The majority in the world says today that Russia should be represented at the second summit, otherwise we won’t achieve meaningful results,” Zelenskiy said.

“Since the whole world wants them to be at the table, we can’t be against that,” he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to negotiations, but will only order a ceasefire if Kiev cedes territory over which Moscow claims sovereignty.

Zelensky’s efforts are focused on a comprehensive ten-point plan that will restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity, repatriate prisoners of war, and give Ukraine guarantees in the field of energy and economy.

He acknowledged China was a key player but stressed he didn’t want mediation from Beijing, urging it instead to pressure the Kremlin to end its invasion.

“If China wants, it can force Russia to stop this war,” he said.

While the Ukrainian president has received broad international support for his efforts to achieve peace, Zelensky has attacked some of his allies for preventing his army from using their weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.

“Our inability to use all the weapons we need to stop this enemy is a serious challenge… What would you do if you were in our shoes?”

He also criticized sporadic arms dispatches, saying Ukraine were still waiting for support from their allies to equip recently mobilized forces.

If Ukraine violates the conditions for the use of weapons provided by the West, “then they can say that we won’t give you any further assistance… That’s the danger,” he said.

Zelensky met French media delegates at a school gym in the western city of Rivne after meeting with local business complainants and officials.

Just a day earlier, he had distributed prizes to special forces in the Kharkov frontline region more than 800 kilometers away.

Despite his busy schedule this year, which included visits to Asian and European capitals, Zelensky’s only trip was to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris.

“I would have attended if this hadn’t been a very difficult period in my country… It’s a tense moment in the east of our country,” he said, referring to the Russia’s takeover of a large number of villages in the Donbas industrial zone.

Zelensky criticized the IOC’s decision to allow some Russian athletes to compete in the Paris Games under a neutral flag.

“Let there be bloodstains on them, then let them compete,” he said, describing the IOC decision as piecemeal sanctions.

With uncertainty hanging over Ukrainian troops deployed on the vast eastern front line, the Ukrainian president acknowledged that the close US presidential election posed more risks to Ukraine, which is counting on continued US military support to counter Russia.

Washington has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Kiev since launching its Russia invasion of Ukraine on February, 2022.

But the possibility of a victory for Republican candidate Donald Trump, who claims he will be able to force the two sides to negotiate and reach a compromise, would raise questions about Washington’s continued support.

“We can’t influence any elections, but certainly the United States poses a challenge today… There is a danger that none of us can foresee… We have to make contacts to discuss the nature of the future if this or that camp wins”.

Democratic White House candidate Kamala Harris reiterated President Joe Biden’s pro-Ukraine stance.

Zelensky revealed that his team had been in contact with her aides as well as with the Trump campaign.

“As president of Ukraine, of course I had to have a dialogue between my team and my aides Biden, Trump and today Harris,” he said.

“We’ve to make all these contacts and discuss what our future might look like if one side wins the election,” he added.