India to participate in Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland; delegation yet to be decided: MEA

Addressing a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the Indian delegation participating in the peace summit will be informed once a decision is taken.

Vinay Kwatra said on Wednesday, “India will participate in the peace conference in Switzerland at the appropriate level. This is currently under discussion in the system. Once we decide which Indian representative will participate in it, we will be very happy to share it with you.”

According to the Kyiv Independent, Ukraine seeks to solidify international support for its peace plan at the upcoming global peace summit scheduled to take place in Switzerland on June 15-16.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had extended a warm invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Ukraine at a “convenient time”.

The invitation came during a phone conversation between the two leaders, where Zelensky congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his recent electoral victory and wished him a speedy formation of government.

On 11 April, Swiss President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced that Switzerland would host a high-level international conference in June, inviting more than 100 countries to help chart a path towards peace in Ukraine after more than two years of war.

The summit is part of Ukraine's ongoing effort to secure diplomatic support for a 10-point peace plan announced in November 2022, which includes the full withdrawal of Russian troops and accountability for war crimes committed by Russia.

The aim of the meetings of Heads of State and Government is to develop a common understanding for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Ukraine hopes that summit participants will develop an action plan on three key aspects of its 10-point peace plan. The first point concerns free navigation, security of port infrastructure in the Black Sea, and global food security. The second focus is energy and nuclear security, including ending attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure. And the third focus will be on the exchange of prisoners and the return of illegally abducted children to Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia refused to participate in the 'Ukraine Peace Summit'. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei said that they would not participate in any event that supports Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's “peace formula”.

Speaking in an interview with a local Russian news outlet, Sergei Lavrov said, “When our Swiss colleagues say they want to invite Russia to the first conference, they are not telling the truth. We will not take part in any event that in one way or another promotes Volodymyr Zelensky's peace formula.”

The summit is the highest-level event so far in Ukraine's “Peace Formula” initiative. It follows four lower-level conferences held since June 2023.