China trying to disrupt Swiss peace conference on Ukraine: Zelensky
Jun 03, 2024
Moscow [Russia], June 3: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday accused China of attempting to undermine a peace conference planned for later this month in Switzerland.
Speaking during the Shangri-La Dialogue security event in Singapore, Zelensky said that China, by contrast with the United States, was working to ensure "that countries do not take part in the peace summit," Ukrainian media reported.
Russia has not been invited to the conference to be held at Bürgenstock near Lucerne on June 15 and 16, and China has indicated that it will not attend.
In a previous address to the event, Zelensky said that there were countries trying to obstruct attendance at the Swiss conference, without mentioning China by name.
Russia has said that it has no interest in participating in the Swiss conference, a position confirmed by President Vladimir Putin during his state visit to Beijing last month.
China, which has put forward its own peace plan, believes that conditions are not yet right. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing on Friday that the arrangements did not meet China's expectations or those of the international community.
According to Zelensky, more than 100 countries and organizations have confirmed their attendance.
The conference would discuss an exchange of prisoners, food and nuclear security, with the aim of presenting a proposal to Moscow, he said.
Another aim is to return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Zelensky has accused Russia of abducting 20,000 children.
Source: Qatar Tribune
