Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, never one to pass up a high-stakes summit or an opportunity to remind the world that his country is still under attack, addressed a peace conference in Switzerland this weekend with both clarity and a flair for the obvious. “Ukraine wants peace,” Zelenskyy said, stating the kind of thing most countries tend to want when large chunks of their infrastructure have been turned to rubble courtesy of Russian missiles.
The summit, hosted in the picturesque, if geopolitically neutral, locale of Bürgenstock, featured leaders and senior officials from over 90 countries. Russia, notably, was not invited, presumably because a summit about stopping your invasion is awkward when you are the one doing the invading. On the other hand, China decided to take a principled nap and not attend either, saying something appropriately cryptic about neutrality while quietly playing mahjong with the Kremlin under the table.
Zelenskyy used the moment to pitch what he described as a ten-point peace plan, distilled here into three digestible focus points: protection of nuclear facilities (because glowing in the dark is less than ideal), food security (preventing your grain exports from being turned into combat zone confetti), and the release of prisoners, particularly children, many of whom were deported to Russia without the kind of paperwork generally needed in civilized abductions.
Swiss President Viola Amherd, hosting the event, described the conference as a “launching point” for future peace talks, which is a bit like describing the ignition of a match as a precursor to a wild forest barbecue. “A precondition for a lasting peace is the willingness of both parties to engage in dialogue,” said Amherd, choosing her words with the kind of neutrality that would make a Swiss banker nod in approval.
Zelenskyy, dressed as always in his trademark olive garb that screams military chic with just a hint of “I slept in a bunker,” insisted Ukraine will invite Russia to a second summit, provided they feel like talking peace and not just practicing their annexation routine.
The first summit, meanwhile, ended not in a resolution but in a statement affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity, which is the diplomatic equivalent of giving someone a hug while their house is still on fire.
As peace efforts go, it was less champagne and confetti and more dry crackers and politely worded disappointment.