Zelensky’s ‘peace summit’: Biden a no-show, China explains non-attendance, India to send ‘low level’ officials

Biden officially snubs Zelensky’s ‘peace summit’ but Vice President Kamala Harris and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will go to the conference instead.

The Biden administration has confirmed that the US president will not be attending an upcoming summit in Switzerland on the Ukraine conflict, and will send Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan instead.

Media reports suggest Joe Biden will be going to a pre-election fundraiser taking place at the same time as the conference in mid-June.

The Swiss-hosted gathering is intended to drum up support for Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s demands regarding the conflict with Russia. Moscow has not been invited, however, while Beijing has declined to participate.

“Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Lucerne, Switzerland on June 15 to participate in the Summit on Peace in Ukraine,” her spokesperson Kirsten Allen said on Monday, adding that this “will underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace.”

Allen also confirmed that Sullivan would be joining Harris at the conference, scheduled to take place at the Burgenstock resort.

Biden’s travel itinerary had him scheduled to visit Europe later this week, to attend the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings in France and “part of” the G7 summit, scheduled for June 13-15 in the south of Italy. This had given rise to speculation that he could “stop by” Switzerland or have Zelensky come to him.

Last week, the Ukrainian leader tried to pressure the US president into lending legitimacy to the “peace summit,” arguing that his absence would “not be a particularly strong move,” and would let down other world leaders who “need President Biden.”

Zelensky also claimed that anyone who missed the conference was a tool of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Monday’s announcement, however, appeared to confirm reports that Biden would prioritize a political fundraiser in Hollywood, headlined by actor George Clooney and expected to feature actress Julia Roberts and former President Barack Obama.

Harris, whose 2020 presidential bid fizzled out even before the first primary, became Biden’s running mate as part of a deal with the Congressional Black Caucus to endorse the elderly Democrat.

Although the White House has rebranded the current presidency as a “Biden-Harris” one and tried giving her several important portfolios – from immigration to abortion and voting rights – Harris has mainly been regarded as a gaffe machine on par with her boss.

China explains snub of Zelensky ‘peace summit’

Beijing says it supports a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict, despite skipping the event in Switzerland.

The Chinese government has said it will not be taking part in an upcoming Swiss-hosted conference on the Ukraine conflict, as the conditions necessary for such an event have not been met.

Beijing has repeatedly stressed that any summit on settling the fighting between Russia and Ukraine must include “three important elements,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said during a media briefing on Monday. Those terms are recognition of the event by both Moscow and Kiev, equal participation of all sides, and a fair discussion of all peace proposals.

None of the three conditions are likely to be fulfilled at the gathering, Mao explained, and therefore it would be “problematic” for China to participate in the summit – due to take place at the Burgenstock Resort near Lucerne on June 15 and 16.

The spokeswoman stressed that Beijing’s absence from the Swiss event does not mean a lack of support for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Mao went on to suggest that some countries who are sending delegations to the conference are not actually interested in ending the fighting.

China has never “fanned fire or fueled the flames” when it comes to the Ukraine hostilities, Mao stressed, while expressing hope that all sides can understand China’s stance regarding the conference.

On Sunday Ukraine’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky, lashed out at Beijing over its reluctance to attend the gathering in Switzerland, claiming that China has become “an instrument in the hands of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin” as he tries to discredit the conference.

Russia has not been invited to the summit, which is expected to address Zelensky’s so-called ‘ten-point peace plan.’ The scheme, among other things, demands a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all territories that Ukraine considers its own, for Moscow to pay reparations, and for Russian officials to present themselves to war crimes tribunals.

Russia instantly rejected the proposal as “unacceptable” when it was first floated by Zelensky in late 2022. According to Moscow, the plan disregards the situation on the ground and is a sign of Kiev’s unwillingness to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RT last week that it was “absurd” to hold a summit on settling the conflict without Moscow’s participation. “This conference is completely without prospects,” he stressed.

India won’t send top officials

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not expected to attend the upcoming gathering in Switzerland, according to the Hindustan Times.

India is not expected to send senior officials to the Ukraine peace conference being held in Switzerland later this month, national media have reported.

Anonymous sources told the Hindustan Times on Monday that New Delhi is still considering its level of participation, but neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will attend the conference, scheduled for June 15-16 at the Burgenstock Resort.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who represented the country at a similar meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia last August, is also unlikely to travel to Switzerland.

India, which has positioned itself as the de facto leader of the Global South, has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities between Moscow and Kiev through diplomatic means. Modi said last month that India seeks to “resonate the voice of the Global South,” and “will be participating in all important summits that promote the agenda of global peace.”

At the same time, New Delhi has refused to condemn Moscow despite constant scrutiny from the West. It has criticized sanctions imposed by the US, EU, and their allies against Russia, and continues to maintain robust economic and diplomatic ties with Moscow.

While more than 160 countries have been invited to the Ukrainian-sponsored conference, many have opted to abstain or send minor officials. In particular, Kiev has largely failed to drum up support among Asian countries, according to the Washington Post.