In recent news, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a second peace summit on Ukraine should include Russian representation. This announcement has drawn much attention from international press and serves as a significant development considering his prior strong opposition to any level of negotiations with Russia while Vladimir Putin remains in power.
During a press conference held in Kiev, President Zelensky expressed his belief that Russian representatives should be present at the second summit on peace in Ukraine, which is planned for an unspecified date. He further outlined preparatory work to organize this summit, marking a notable shift from his previously firm stance against including Russia in peace talks.
The first “Summit on Peace in Ukraine” took place in Switzerland during mid-June and was attended by representatives from over 90 countries. Notably, neither Russian nor Chinese officials were present at the event. While China had been invited, Russia was intentionally excluded due to their role as a key aggressor in the conflict with Ukraine. Beijing expressed its disapproval of this exclusion, stating that it rendered the entire endeavor futile.
Ukraine has long emphasized the importance of Chinese involvement in peace negotiations given its influence over Moscow. At the Swiss summit, leaders from numerous countries endorsed Ukraine’s own peace plan, which calls for the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. However, this plan is unacceptable to the Kremlin, as it would require Russia to relinquish control over four territories that have been integrated into the Russian Federation: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
This newfound willingness on the part of President Zelensky may be influenced by his anticipation of a Trump presidency following the November election. Throughout his campaign trail, Donald Trump has been vocal about his desire to bring warring parties to the negotiating table and has even suggested the existence of a comprehensive peace plan, although no one has seen this plan in full.
In addition, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed enthusiasm for the possibility of increased peace efforts under a Trump administration. Most recently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated in an interview that “a very strong external impact must take place in order to make them negotiate at least,” adding that “who has the chance for that in the upcoming period? That’s only President Trump if he is elected.
This unprecedented change in stance from Ukraine’s President could signal a potential shift towards peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, with the involvement of both nations, as well as the international community. As the world watches intently, it remains to be seen how these developments will unfold and what impact they may have on the ongoing conflict.
