Leaders of Italy and Germany Reject Putin’s Ceasefire Terms at Ukraine Summit
The leaders of Italy and Germany have strongly rejected the ceasefire terms laid out by Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. The rejection came as scores of countries gathered at a two-day summit in Switzerland to discuss ending the conflict.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Putin’s plan “propaganda” and effectively suggested that Ukraine “must withdraw from Ukraine.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed it as a “dictatorial peace.”
A draft declaration issued at the summit reaffirms Ukraine’s territorial integrity and unambiguously rejects any nuclear threat against the country. The document, due to be formally adopted on Sunday, also emphasizes the importance of safe transit for commercial shipping in the Black and Azov Seas for global food security.
On Friday, Putin claimed he would agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew troops from four regions that Russia partially occupies and claims to have annexed. Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that there would be “no compromise on independence, sovereignty, or territorial integrity.”
The Summit on Peace in Ukraine aims to discuss the basic principles for ending the war and has attracted more than 90 countries and global institutions. However, Russia was not invited, and China, a key ally of Russia, is not attending, lowering expectations for significant progress at this stage.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused Putin of “spinning a phony narrative about his willingness to negotiate” and criticized countries supplying weapons to Russia as being “on the wrong side of history.”
Despite the challenges, Ukraine sees the summit as a success, highlighting its global reach and the number of countries represented. Zelensky expressed hope for a just peace to be established soon and emphasized the importance of joint efforts to stop wars.
While Putin has ruled out any peace process on Ukraine’s terms, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned against freezing the conflict with foreign troops occupying Ukrainian land, calling it a recipe for future wars of aggression.
Overall, the rejection of Putin’s ceasefire terms underscores the complex and challenging road ahead in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
