Nestled in the Swiss mountains, the Bürgenstock resort is no stranger to making history: It hosted film stars and powerhouses throughout the 20th century, and it was here in 2002 that the Sudanese government and rebel forces signed a ceasefire.
But the leaders, ministers and envoys from more than 90 countries who gathered at the mountaintop for the first-ever talks on Ukraine peace had more modest goals. Russia was not invited and had expressed no interest in participating, and ally China boycotted the talks. Swiss organizers said they wanted only to lay the groundwork for future negotiations and make small increments on the long road to peace.
Yet as the talks began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that a historic event was taking place.
It is no easy feat to bring together more than 50 world leaders to discuss peace in Ukraine, let alone dozens of representatives from every continent.
This was the result of months of painstaking diplomatic negotiations and came despite a political counterattack from Russia that sought to disparage the rally.
The two-day talks, attended by countries beyond the usual guest list of Kiev’s supporters, marked a step away from the accusations of echo-chamber politics often levelled at Western countries.
Kenya’s president condemned Moscow but called on “all parties to the war” to “soften their stance”, while Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said “difficult compromises” lay ahead.
The extensive guest list meant the rifts between Ukraine’s backers and key players in Africa, Asia and Latin America were on full display even in the Swiss mountains. And the neglect and absences were telling.
Dozens of people support statement on Ukraine’s territorial integrity
The talks culminated in a statement supported by the majority of participants, representing around 80 countries, including all European Union member states, the United States, Ghana, Kenya, Argentina, Colombia, the Philippines, Qatar and Guatemala.
“The ongoing war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine continues to cause large-scale human suffering and destruction, creating risks and crises with global implications,” the statement said.
“We reaffirm our commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, as well as against the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine.”
The signatories also condemn the nuclear threat, warn against the weaponization of food security, and call for a “full prisoner exchange” and the return of “all deported and illegally displaced Ukrainian children.”
India, South Africa and Indonesia refuse to sign
But that language was not endorsed by everyone there, with several diplomatic heavyweights including India, South Africa, Indonesia and Mexico attending the talks but not endorsing the final document.
These countries had already demonstrated a degree of caution by sending diplomats or ministers, rather than leaders, to Switzerland.
Claude Lakishitz, an analyst at the Brussels-based Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategic Studies, wasn’t surprised. Some countries are trying to balance their relationships with the West, Russia and China and “don’t want to rock the boat,” he said.
Ahead of the summit, Kiev accused Moscow and Beijing of applying diplomatic pressure to persuade other countries not to attend, a charge China denies. Lakishitz said factors in each country’s relationship, including India’s reliance on Russia for arms supplies and South Africa’s historic ties with Moscow, likely influenced the calculations of whether to accept the Swiss invitation.
“This conference is not just about Ukraine. It’s about maintaining the international order,” Lakishitz told DW.
Ukraine says summit shows international support “has not waned”
Asked if he was disappointed that some countries did not sign the statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the participation of so many countries was a “great success.”
“This summit shows that the support of the international community has not weakened. Support is strong,” he told reporters on Sunday.
Kiev’s Western allies echoed the optimistic tone.
“This is certainly the largest and most senior meeting of countries around the world since the outbreak of the war to discuss how to work towards peace in Ukraine. That in itself is significant,” Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris told DW on the sidelines of the meeting.
The Russian proposal was rejected by Western leaders.
On the eve of the summit, Russia released its own peace plan, calling for Ukraine to cede large swaths of territory and abandon ambitions to join NATO, the Western military alliance.
Lakishitz said the proposal was likely part of an attempt by Moscow to disrupt and distract from the Swiss talks. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed the proposal as “not serious.”
“I don’t think Putin is in a position to set preconditions,” Ireland’s Simon Harris told DW. “The reality is that any peace agreement, any peace process, has to be subject to international law, and all international law respects the territorial integrity of states.”
But as leaders filed out past “Path to Peace” slogans plastered on walls and walkways around the venue, there was little doubt that real progress cannot be achieved without Moscow.
And the countries gathered in Switzerland remained divided on how to achieve this.
“One important question remains: when and how can we include Russia in the process?” Swiss President Viola Amherd said at the end of the talks on Sunday.
“The discussions over the past two days have shown that there are different views, and what is more important is our understanding that the path to peace in Ukraine must be pursued on the basis of international law.”
What is the path to follow-up discussions?
No formal follow-up summit has been announced, but Swiss President Amherd said several countries have expressed a willingness to hold future talks, while Canada has announced plans to bring together its foreign ministers to discuss humanitarian issues in Ukraine.
“It is clear that to end the war both sides need to sit down at the negotiating table,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters outside the venue.
“My job and the job of all Ukrainian diplomats, and President Zelenskyy’s number one priority, is to bring Ukraine to this negotiating table in the strongest possible position.”
Editor: Rana Taha
