Russia confirms it will not attend second summit on Ukraine planned by kyiv in Switzerland

A meeting to “promote the illusory” formule Zelensky » : Russia announced on Saturday that it would not participate in the second summit on Ukraine planned by kyiv in November. A first edition had already taken place in Switzerland in June without Russia being invited. President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted Moscow to be present this time.

Russia rejected the prospect – about which it had already expressed the greatest reservations – on the eve of a trip by the Ukrainian president to Washington next week, during which he intends to present his peace proposals to President Joe Biden, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, as well as former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

“The summit will have the same objectives: to promote the illusory formule Zelensky “as a basis for settling the conflict, to obtain the support of the majority of the world and use it to present Russia with an ultimatum of surrender,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. “We will not participate in such summits ” she added.

Moscow wants “geopolitical realities” to be taken into account

While kyiv maintains its demand for a “just” peace that would see Russian troops leave the country’s internationally recognized borders, including the Crimean peninsula, Moscow has said it is only ready to consider “serious proposals” that would take into account “the situation on the ground reflecting geopolitical realities.”