How valid is his claim, even if the usual hyperbole is dismissed?
Not much appears to have been achieved, as the two-day 'Summit on Peace in Ukraine' did not make much progress in structure, substance or even optics.
Of course, Russia's absence meant that the conference would not even reach its objective, while China's decision to abstain further compounded this shortcoming, and most of the countries in the Global South in Asia and Africa that organizers sought to reach Their absence was also conspicuous. Among those who attended, many such as India, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia did not even sign the final communiqué.
The attendance also clearly highlighted global divisions – of the 90 states and organizations present, 48 were European states or institutions, including Kosovo – which was listed as a country – and the other six were part of the Western Bloc, Like the US, Canada and their Asian allies like Japan and South Korea. Of these, 78 signed the release.Of the post-Soviet states, only Georgia and Armenia, excluding Ukraine and the three Baltic states, were present, and Armenia did not sign the communiqué. While Latin and South America were well represented and most signed the communiqué. , Mexico, Brazil and Colombia did not.
From Africa, there were only 13 participants and while Benin, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia signed, South Africa and Libya did not.
The Middle East was represented only by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Iraq, and while Saudi Arabia and Jordan did not sign, the other two did, but Iraq later withdrew its signature. The Asian presence was also incomplete. It included India, Japan, South Korea and Singapore along with Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Timor Leste.Japan, South Korea and Singapore were the only signatories.
Apart from Australia and New Zealand, Fiji and Palau were the two signatories from Pacific Ocean states.
Even on the optics front, the summit could not meet its objectives. US President Joe Biden's absence to attend a Hollywood fundraiser was a major blow and was strongly attacked by a Ukrainian politician who did not People were branded "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's bastards", although the comments were soon deleted.
Vice President Kamala Harris, leading the US delegation, addressed the summit on Saturday, but returned to Washington a few hours later before the main working day of the summit began.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not attend the second day of the conference, and French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida were also reportedly among those who left the event after a few hours. And while Zelensky's statement was as encouraging as ever, Saudi More serious were comments from the Arab foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who reiterated the kingdom's commitment to "support all efforts to bring the fighting to an end" between Moscow and Kiev. and added that "it is necessary to emphasize that any credible process will require Russia's participation".
He also stressed that any meaningful progress "will require difficult compromises" between the parties.
The key phrase here was “difficult compromise” – which would not fit the maximalist position of Ukraine and the West.Chancellor Scholz also acknowledged that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved without Russia's participation in negotiations.
"It is true that peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved without Russia," he said at the conference.
If there was any doubt left that the policy of isolating or ignoring Russia was working, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, addressing journalists on the final day of the summit, acknowledged that both sides of the conflict There will definitely have to be negotiations at some point. peace, although he defended it by noting that Kiev needed to be in a strong and advantageous position at that time. “The idea is that the next summit should be the end of the war.And, of course, we also need the other side at the table,” he said.
Ukraine understands well that the moment will come when it will be necessary to talk to Russia, he said.
This realization is a laudable achievement, but how it will materialize remains to be seen, given that no decision has been taken on a follow-up summit, nor has any country come forward for one.Till then the struggle and its consequences will continue.
Not much appears to have been achieved, as the two-day 'Summit on Peace in Ukraine' did not make much progress in structure, substance or even optics.
Of course, Russia's absence meant that the conference would not even reach its objective, while China's decision to abstain further compounded this shortcoming, and most of the countries in the Global South in Asia and Africa that organizers sought to reach Their absence was also conspicuous. Among those who attended, many such as India, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia did not even sign the final communiqué.
The attendance also clearly highlighted global divisions – of the 90 states and organizations present, 48 were European states or institutions, including Kosovo – which was listed as a country – and the other six were part of the Western Bloc, Like the US, Canada and their Asian allies like Japan and South Korea. Of these, 78 signed the release.Of the post-Soviet states, only Georgia and Armenia, excluding Ukraine and the three Baltic states, were present, and Armenia did not sign the communiqué. While Latin and South America were well represented and most signed the communiqué. , Mexico, Brazil and Colombia did not.
From Africa, there were only 13 participants and while Benin, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia signed, South Africa and Libya did not.
The Middle East was represented only by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Iraq, and while Saudi Arabia and Jordan did not sign, the other two did, but Iraq later withdrew its signature. The Asian presence was also incomplete. It included India, Japan, South Korea and Singapore along with Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Timor Leste.Japan, South Korea and Singapore were the only signatories.
Apart from Australia and New Zealand, Fiji and Palau were the two signatories from Pacific Ocean states.
Even on the optics front, the summit could not meet its objectives. US President Joe Biden's absence to attend a Hollywood fundraiser was a major blow and was strongly attacked by a Ukrainian politician who did not People were branded "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's bastards", although the comments were soon deleted.
Vice President Kamala Harris, leading the US delegation, addressed the summit on Saturday, but returned to Washington a few hours later before the main working day of the summit began.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not attend the second day of the conference, and French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida were also reportedly among those who left the event after a few hours. And while Zelensky's statement was as encouraging as ever, Saudi More serious were comments from the Arab foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who reiterated the kingdom's commitment to "support all efforts to bring the fighting to an end" between Moscow and Kiev. and added that "it is necessary to emphasize that any credible process will require Russia's participation".
He also stressed that any meaningful progress "will require difficult compromises" between the parties.
The key phrase here was “difficult compromise” – which would not fit the maximalist position of Ukraine and the West.Chancellor Scholz also acknowledged that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved without Russia's participation in negotiations.
"It is true that peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved without Russia," he said at the conference.
If there was any doubt left that the policy of isolating or ignoring Russia was working, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, addressing journalists on the final day of the summit, acknowledged that both sides of the conflict There will definitely have to be negotiations at some point. peace, although he defended it by noting that Kiev needed to be in a strong and advantageous position at that time. “The idea is that the next summit should be the end of the war.And, of course, we also need the other side at the table,” he said.
Ukraine understands well that the moment will come when it will be necessary to talk to Russia, he said.
This realization is a laudable achievement, but how it will materialize remains to be seen, given that no decision has been taken on a follow-up summit, nor has any country come forward for one.Till then the struggle and its consequences will continue.
