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What do you expect will happen at the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland?

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Where does Switzerland stand in the world? And where is it heading? I focus on current and possible future developments. After completing my studies (history, law and European studies), I worked for a time at the Swiss embassy in Athens. I have journalistic experience at home and abroad, at the local and national levels, as a freelancer and as a staff journalist. Today, it's with an international focus.

Switzerland is hosting the “Summit on Peace in Ukraine” External linkon June 15-16 at the Bürgenstock resort above Lake Lucerne. Some 160 delegations at head of state and government level have been invited; around half have accepted so far.

The Swiss government hopes this conference will lay the groundwork for a peace process. But Russia says it will not attend the Swiss-hosted gathering.

What do you expect will happen at the Ukraine summit? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the debate below.

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

emill
emill

Nothing. A peace conference without the aggressor being invited, is stupid.
I feel sorry for Switzerland that it accepted an annecessary waste of time and money.
Switzerland allowed itself to be blackmailed by UE and USA.
CH even received a slap from the president of Romania who refused to participate even though Romania is the country that helped Ukraine enormously.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@emill

But you have not understood Swiss politics if you believe that this was done under pressure from the USA or the EU.

Da haben Sie aber die Schweizer Politik nicht verstanden, wenn Sie glauben, dass es auf Druck von den USA oder der EU geschehen ist.

eudes@recma.com
eudes@recma.com
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

I hope that Switzerland will return to the path of NEUTRALITY!
to leave NATO
to stop behaving like a submissive to the USA
that it is an example of a small, powerful and democratic country.

And thus encourage a ceasefire in Ukraine,
an absurd war that has killed half a million young men for NOTHING!
because Ukraine cannot defeat Russia and no country will send its army to the Ukrainian front.
Be realistic, not ideological or doctrinaire!

Je souhaite que la Suisse reprenne le chemin de la NEUTRALITé !
qu'elle sorte de l'OTAN
qu'elle cesse de se comporter en soumise aux USA
qu'elle est un exemple de petit pays puissant et démocratique.

Et ainsi incite à un cesser-le-feu en Ukraine,
guerre absurde qui a tué un demi-million de jeunes hommes pour RIEN !
car l'Ukraine ne peut pas vaincre la Russie et qu'aucun pays n'enverra son armée sur le front ukrainien.
Soyez réalistes et non idéologiques ou doctrinaires !

john.smith
john.smith

Not inviting Russia is a big mistake!

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@john.smith

Why?

Wieso?

gsgasarkar
gsgasarkar

Switzerland is not the best place for peace summit, as this country is no longer considered a neutral country. They more or less follow NATO's diktat. This could have been in South Africa, India, UAE etc. whic command respect globally. Switzerland is implementing illegal sanctions not backed by UN but ordered by NATO. So hardly any result is expected from this summit. What ever declaration the participants make from the Switzerland where vast majority of common people of global south cannot even dream of visiting, so their declaration would lack trust of global south.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@gsgasarkar

Sanctions are imposed unilaterally, they cannot be illegal. And NATO cannot impose any anyway. Individual states do this at their own request.

Sanktionen werden unilateral ausgesprochen, sie können nicht illegal sein. Und die Nato kann ohnehin keine erlassen. Das machen einzelne Staaten auf eigenen Wunsch.

ralph01
ralph01

The conference is good intent with positive thinking but with for sure with no guaranteed outcome, except a lot of expenses for Swiss taxpayers resulting in a publicity stunt. Basic rule in a conflict is to discuss with all involved parties.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@ralph01

There is no basic rule on how to end conflicts. Every conflict has its own path that needs to be followed.

Es gibt keine Grundregel, wie Konflikte beendet werden. In jedem Konflikt gibt es einen eigenen Weg, der gegangen werden muss.

Hugo Studhalter
Hugo Studhalter

„Auusser Spesen nichts gewesen“. in other words for most of these world leaders present it will be a beautiful outing in one of the greatest places on earth!
As long as the Russians and the Chinese do not participate in such a dialogue, the whole exercise is becoming just an other exercise with lots of speeches and plenty of media present!
Good luck ……

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Hugo Studhalter

The Chinese were invited, they decided not to come. It would have been up to them to get involved. They decided against it.

Die Chinesen waren eingeladen, sie haben beschlossen nicht zu kommen. Sie hätten es in der Hand gehabt, sich einzubringen. Sie haben sich dagegen entschieden.

Andrius
Andrius

Please would you make my contribution below
Andrius 2024-06-14 15:11 public before the start of the conference. Thank you, Andrius

Fanboy
Fanboy

Nothing!

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Fanboy

Nothing at all?

Gar nichts?

Massimo-Italy-71
Massimo-Italy-71

Just to share this with you, here in Italy until the last day, no media ever mentioned about the summit in CH! As an Italian, I feel quite upset about this disinterest, knowing the summit had been planned quite long time ago! What expecting about the summit (...?), personally nothing, unfortunately , especially because I'm not sure Zelinsky will open a window to loose something, since peace is based on loosing something from either sides. From the Switzerland politics, about protection to Ukranian men, I would expect it no to withdraw the status of protection, rather limiting them about the amount of money allowed to be sent abroad, in respect of Switzerland neutrality, which still important to sustain in order in face of the international community.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Massimo-Italy-71

I have seen some Italian media people on the Bürgenstock, it has already been covered.

Ich habe einige italienische Medienleute auf dem Bürgenstock gesehen, er wurde schon abgedeckt.

Direct Democrat
Direct Democrat

I. It's notable that a big majority of votes of support on here are going to posters who decry the failure to have Russia present AND who decry the seeming loss of Switzerland's neutrality.
2. The Swissinfo journalist who declared that Switzerland is "embedded in the West economically and politically" misses the point, which is that Switzerland's power as an international broker is that it has hitherto been seen to be NEUTRAL. That is no longer the case. Hence Switzerland's present IMPOTENCY and the probably collapse of the Burgenstock conference.

3. The referendum on Swiss neutrality cannot come soon enough, not just for Switzerland but for the world. Bring it on. Thank goodness for Direct Democracy! If every other country had it, we would NEVER have had the wars and conflicts we have today, including Ukraine.

4. Good news! I've just heard that the Leader of the Reform party in the United Kingdom has just said at a press conference that he and his party are going to embrace Swiss Direct Democracy in the UK.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Direct Democrat

1) Most people also didn't understand why Russia wasn't there. Nor did they understand what Swiss neutrality entails.
2) Where did you get the idea that Switzerland is no longer neutral? It is a very simple fact that it has close economic and political ties with the West.
3) Perhaps that is really the case: if you look at which countries start wars, they are hardly functioning democracies.
4) Good luck!

1) Die meisten haben auch nicht verstanden, weshalb Russland nicht dabei war. Und auch nicht, was die Schweizer Neutralität beinhaltet.
2) Wie kommen Sie auf die Idee, die Schweiz sei nicht mehr neutral? Und dass sie wirtschaftlich und politisch mit dem Westen eng verbunden ist, ist ein sehr simpler Fakt.
3) Das ist vielleicht wirklich so: Sieht man sich an, welche Länder Kriege lostreten, sind es kaum funktionierende Demokratien.
4) Viel Glück!

OCRAM
OCRAM
The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

Cassis never misses an opportunity to show off: in my opinion he must have some emotional problems. No better his fellow councillor Amherd. Spending millions on useless peace conferences, even if they are then modified into 'about' peace, is just ridiculous, and may perhaps satisfy the hypertrophic egos of both. Putin has already said he is 'irritated' by the unilateral idea, so the result will only be negative. If this is the new Swiss diplomacy, then we're fresh out. It should be explained to them that conferences on or of peace can have deleterious results if one of the two main parties feels cornered, or in any case 'forced' into any unilateral outcome. It is as if such a conference had been organised while Hitler, uninvited, was invading Poland: of course it would have only hastened the conquest! We are not quite there.

Cassis non manca mai un'occasione per mettersi in mostra: secondo me deve avere qualche problema affettivo. Non meglio la sua compagna consigliera Amherd. Spendere milioni in conferenze della pace inutili, anche se poi modificate in "sulla" pace, è solo ridicolo, e può soddisfare magari l'ego ipertrofico di entrambi. Putin si è già detto "irritato" dall'idea unilaterale, perciò il risultato sarà solo negativo. Se questa è la nuova diplomazia elvetica, allora stiamo freschi. Bisognerebbe spiegare a costoro che conferenze sulla o della pace, possono avere risultati deleteri se uno dei due contraenti principali si sente messo all'angolo, o comunque "forzato" a subire qualsivoglia esito unilaterale. È come se si fosse organizzata una conferenza simile, mentre Hitler non invitato, stava invadendo la Polonia: ovvio che avrebbe solo affrettato la conquista! Non ci siamo proprio.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@OCRAM

Of course Putin is not satisfied, but do we have to satisfy the aggressor?

Natürlich ist Putin nicht zufrieden, aber muss man denn den Aggressor zufrieden stellen?

Andrius
Andrius

End to the war in Ukraine and avoid World War III
This Swiss Peace conference must demand a cease fire and negotiation for a permanent peace treaty with Russia. The US administration and NATO must stop telling President Zelensky that he can defeat Russia militarily and join NATO. Ukraine joining NATO will likely lead to World War III.
At the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John Kennedy warned the world Superpowers
in a speech to The American University on June 10 ,1963:
“And above all, while defending our own vital interests, nuclear powers must avert those confrontations which bring an adversary to a choice of either a humiliating retreat or a nuclear war. To adopt that kind of course in the nuclear age would be evidence only of the bankruptcy of our policy -- or of a collective death-wish for the world.”
Every attendee to the Peace conference should get this message in red letters.
Albert Einstein, who was a Swiss citizen and discovered how matter turned into energy which powers the sun and stars, became a peace activist when he was appalled by how the military had used his invention to increase the destructive power of war a million-fold. He wrote:
“The splitting of the atom has changed everything, save our mode of thinking, and thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophe”. After World War II, US General Omar Bradley also became a peace proponent: “We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about killing than we do about living”.
Lastly, remember Michael Gorbachev, Secretary General of the Soviet Union 34 years ago. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the “Cold War” and dismantling the Soviet Union. It allowed the Eastern European nations, including the Baltic States and Ukraine to become independent. Tragically, NATO and Washington’s leaders could not let go of their frozen attitudes about the end of the cold war. Instead, they proceeded to expand NATO bases unto the borders of Russia, thus contributing to the cause of the current war in Ukraine and the risk of a nuclear war.
President Putin does not have the global vision of Gorbachev, but is likely appalled by the disastrous consequences of the Ukrainian war and the difficulty of occupying an unwilling nation. Talk to him and do some creative negotiations.

Submitted by Andrew Schoenberg, born in Kaunas, Lithuania at the start of World War II in 1939. As a child, I experienced the terror of bombing during World War II and commiserate with all people exposed to the horrors of war. Much later in life I received a PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Part of my work was on restoring movement in paralyzed persons. Last week our news reported from an Orthopedic Hospital near Kiev which had treated over 20,000 Ukrainian amputee veterans of this tragic war. We do not need 2 more years of sacrificing more Ukrainians and Russians in this hopless war.
I consider myself a global citizen. My grandmother was a French Swiss teacher for the children of the Governor in Tbilisi, Georgia, when my grandfather Schoenberg met her and married her in 1892.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Andrius

Well, the membership of a state in an organisation does not automatically start a world war. That is a conscious decision that the aggressor has to make. In this case, that is Russia, which therefore holds it in its hands.

Nun, wegen der Mitgliedschaft eines Staates in einer Organisation geht nicht automatisch ein Weltkrieg los. Das ist schon ein bewusster Entscheid, den der Aggressor fällen muss. Das ist in diesem Fall Russland, das es also in den Händen hält.

Mandy YC
Mandy YC

In my understanding, the Swiss neutrality is never meant to be one that doesn't distinquish right from wrong, it only means an "armed neutrality" in any military conflict. So Switzerland has to choose right from wrong, and align herself with the side that is right.
Being a Chinese I feel ashamed that China declined the invitation. But that's China, in such a case China wants to be the "world leader", that's the "face matter". And if it's not a peace process led by China, then China can't show her power, Xi can't show his power.
So, I do hope that this Swiss summit can achieve something to show China that, even without China, it's possible to make progress.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Mandy YC

Thank you for your contribution - and for the appropriate paraphrase of Swiss neutrality!

Danke für Ihren Beitrag - und für die adäquate Umschreibung der Schweizer Neutralität!

Meggen
Meggen

Thank you thank you for this great forum. Since moving to Switzerland (my husband is Swiss) I have been an American without info and communication in this beautiful wonderful country. Thank you for offering me a way to communicate and learn. Frances Coya

PavelJ
PavelJ

- There are MANY PEOPLE who make advances in sciences, and generally are trying to make this world a better place for all.
- Then there are a FEW INDIVIDUALS, who shoot this world to pieces, destroy what others achieved.
- There are MANY PEOPLE, who send rockets into space for research purposes, to try to see where we came from, trying to unravel the secrets of universe and those on this Earth likewise.
- And then again there are FEW INDIVIDUALS who try to conquer the space for nuclear warfare – to destroy what others achieve “up there” AND “down here on Earth”.
- There are doctors and researches trying to FIND CURES FOR ILLNESSES AND PANDEMICS.
- And then again there are some that SEND THEIR YOUNG MEN TO SHOOT OTHER YOUNG MEN; AND BE SHOT IN TURN THEMSELVES. And all this just to satisfy their ego of being the “greatest” leader.

- Years ago UN was created to see to it that this World becomes a better, safer place FOR ALL. Why is it that this body is SO IMPOTENT to stop a HANDFUL OF EGOISTIC, POWER HUNGRY CRIMINALS from bringing destruction, suffering and pain to millions peaceful loving people?

Meggen
Meggen

Any discussion for peace is good and will probably support the discussions of the G7. We have to show Putin that he can not hope to win this and going on will not give him hope that we will give up and let him win. The more we show that we are committed for as long as it takes the faster we will see and end. When we eliminate his hope to win we will get him to stop.

Putin has to know that any nuclear attack from him will surely meet his end.

Rafiq Tschannen
Rafiq Tschannen

Ausser Spesen nichts gewesen. Translation does not sound so good. 'Besides expenses no senses'?

john.ele81946
john.ele81946

Since "The Swiss government hopes this conference will lay the groundwork for a peace process. But Russia says it will not attend the Swiss-hosted gathering." It would be interesting to see where the outcome would do better than what had been tried in the first couple of years.

Meanwhile, since Zhelensky's term has expired, how would that undermine the process?

Gobachev was fooled by "Not one inch to the East", multiple times thereafter, Russia was fooled. What rabbit can be pulld out of the proverbial hat in this Summit such that the rabbit would overcome Putin feeling "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?" From other reputable International Relations scholar of Realism school, this war is an existential risk for its country whereas it is no skin off the proverbial nose of America carrying out its foreign policy to remain a global hegemon?

This summit will add another case study to the attempts that have been tried.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@john.ele81946

These theories are interesting, but they do not hide the fact that Russia has invaded Georgia and Ukraine - out of self-interest and under the pretext that the West is driving it into a corner.

Diese Theorien sind interessant, sie verdecken allerdings nicht die Tatsache, dass Russland in Georgien und der Ukraine einmarschiert ist - aus Eigeninteresse und unter dem Vorwand, dass der Westen es in die Ecke treibt.

TomTom
TomTom
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

I understand when the argument is repeatedly put forward in the debate that the Russians have to be there. But I would remind you that Rissland cancelled his participation in advance.

On the subject of neutrality: Switzerland has never been neutral. That is merely an economic argument for doing business with both parties to the conflict. But the empty phrase is good for campaigning....

Ich verstehe wenn in der Debatte immer wieder das Argument vorgebracht wird, dass die Russen dabei sein müssten. Doch ich erinnere daran, dass Rissland seine Teilnahme im Vorfeld abgesagt hat.

Zum Stichwort Neutralität: Die Schweiz war nie neutral. Das ist einzig ein wirtschaftliches Argument, um mit beiden Konfliktparteien Geschäfte zu machen. Aber die leere Worthülse eignet sich gut um Wahlkampf zu machen….

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@TomTom

Switzerland does indeed have a law of neutrality, which is narrowly defined and prohibits any military partisanship. How the country's neutrality policy is organised beyond this is another question - and above all a matter of interpretation....

Die Schweiz hat ja durchaus ein Neutralitätsrecht, das eng gefasst ist und jegliche militärische Parteinahme verbietet. Wie darüber hinaus die Neutralitätspolitik des Landes gestaltet ist, ist eine andere Frage - und vor allem eine Auslegungssache....

mikedragos
mikedragos
@TomTom

In fact, Russia has never been invited, so there was nothing/no invite to cancel. Agree with your point on Swiss 'neutrality'.

dariogia@gmail.com
dariogia@gmail.com
The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

Tomorrow the 15th will begin what many have called a farce, a circus show, a useless waste of public money. As many write, the conference is not for peace, but only a platform for exchange and meeting to probably reinforce the already known proclamations about the need to find solutions to get out of the so-called Russian military operation. Zelenski did not want Putin at the conference. Needless to go around that fact. The Donbass has always been a place of conflict. The Russian operation, carried out in the last century, would not have been as prominent as it is now. The geopolitical situation has changed and the interests at stake are far greater than the logic of peace. The pro-American bloc has been able to renew its war apparatus by eliminating old weapons, emptying arsenals and selling arms and ammunition. Investment in the arms industry as never before. The conference is about clearing the consciences of warmongers, not about restoring peace. A huge expensive blabla to give Switzerland a semblance of 'reputation'. One also has to wonder whether Amherd and Cassis act out of respect for the Swiss people, rather than for their egos.

Domani 15 inizierà quella che molti hanno definito farsa, spettacolo circense, inutile spreco di denaro pubblico. Come scrivono molti, la conferenza non è per la pace, ma solo una piattaforma di scambio e incontro per rafforzare probabilmente i proclami già conosciuti sulla necessità di trovare soluzioni per uscire dalla cosiddetta operazione militare russa. Zelenski non ha voluto Putin alla conferenza. Inutile girare attorno a quel fatto. Il Donbass è sempre stato luogo di conflitti. L'operazione russa, effettuata nel secolo scorso non avrebbe avuto risalto come ora. La situazione geopolitica è mutata e gli interessi in gioco sono molto superiori alla logica della pace. Il blocco filoamericano ha potuto rinnovare l'apparato bellico eliminando vecchie armi, vuotando arsenali e vendendo armi e munizioni. Investimenti nell'industria dell'armamento come non mai prima. La conferenza serve per ripulire le coscienze dei guerrafondai, non a ritrovare la pace. Un immenso blabla costosissimo per dare una parvenza di "reputazione" alla svizzera. Da chiedersi anche se Amherd e Cassis agiscano nel rispetto del popolo svizzero, piuttosto che per i loro ego.

Giannis Mavris
Giannis Mavris SWI SWISSINFO.CH
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@dariogia@gmail.com

The argument that the real warmongers are in the West is so ridiculous that it doesn't even need to be addressed. And the constant repetition doesn't make it any more true.

Das Argument, im Westen würden die wahren Kriegstreiber sitzen, ist so lächerlich, dass man nicht einmal darauf eingehen muss. Und es wird durch die ständige Wiederholung kein bisschen wahrer.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR