Currently, various media and expert circles are actively discussing the prospects and different formats for ending the Russo-Ukrainian war, as well as initiating peace negotiations for future settlement. First and foremost, what role does Ukraine’s Peace Formula play today?
The practical implementation of the ten-point Peace Formula of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proposed on 15 November 2022 during the G20 Summit in Indonesia, remains the only viable path to restoring comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine while preserving the global security system from further erosion.
This Peace Formula holds global significance as it aims to prevent war from becoming a dominant tool of international politics in the 21st century.
The longer the war persists, the more challenging it becomes to halt this erosion process. Since 2022, we have witnessed the unthinkable becoming a new normal due to a hesitation to take appropriate actions collectively.
This is evident with recent developments, including North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Viewing the Peace Formula through this lens underscores its urgency and fundamental importance in realizing Ukraine’s vision for lasting and just peace.
The Peace Formula got off to a successful start at the First Global Peace Summit held in mid-June this year in Switzerland. What has been the subsequent development of the agreements and decisions made at the summit?
The Peace Formula has garnered wide global support. On 23 February 2023, 141 states voted for the UN General Assembly Resolution «Principles of the UN Charter underlying a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine,» which reflects the main provisions of the Peace Formula.
The First Global Peace Summit (15-16 June 2024, Bürgenstock, Switzerland) demonstrated the international community’s unity, with 101 delegations from all continents participating. Such broad attendance sends a clear message to Moscow that the world does not support Russia’s war of aggression.
During the Summit, a Joint Communique on a Peace Framework was adopted. This document fully reflects the intention to pass to the next generations an effective mechanism to implement the UN Charter. The document remains open for accession, and we urge all states that respect the fundamental principles of international law to support it.
Following the Summit, nine thematic conferences on the Peace Formula points were held.
Ukraine, alongside dozens of partner countries, has completed this critical phase of work on the Peace Formula. Currently, efforts are focused on preparing a joint peace framework that will clearly outline how to end Russia’s aggression in accordance with international law. This work is expected to be completed by November and serves as a precondition for organizing the Second Peace Summit.
Prior to the Summit, and especially after its conclusion, the issue of Russia’s participation in the relevant peace process was actively debated and continues to be discussed. What is Ukraine’s position on this issue?
We acknowledge that achieving peace will eventually require the involvement of Russian Federation representatives in the peace process. However, President Zelenskyy has made it clear that this cannot happen at the current stage. Russia continues to demonstrate an unwillingness to cease its aggression and shows blatant disrespect for the UN Charter and international law.
Under such circumstances, it is the global majority and collective efforts of the international community that can compel Moscow towards peace and ensure its maintenance.
When the international community, adhering to international law, prepares and agrees upon the joint peace framework, it will be presented to Russia. Russian representatives should be invited to the Second Peace Summit to negotiate the war’s end if they are ready to stop Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
It is well known that certain states, particularly China and Brazil, have proposed their own vision for peacefully resolving the military confrontation between Ukraine and Russia. How does Ukraine view these alternative proposals on this issue?
We welcome any proposals aimed at restoring just peace for Ukraine. Our stance on other peace initiatives is as follows:
First, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Second, these proposals should be based on the UN Charter and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
We firmly believe that any peace ideas respecting the UN Charter can and should be discussed within the platforms proposed by the First Global Peace Summit under the Ukrainian initiative.
There is no need to create additional formats and platforms to discuss ways to achieve peace for Ukraine. The Peace Formula offers a complete toolkit and appropriate platforms for discussing all peace ideas while considering different visions and concepts based on the UN Charter.
After finalizing the joint peace framework, we will be ready to discuss and integrate other initiatives into ours.
Proposals that fail to recognize Russia’s unprovoked armed aggression against Ukraine, equate the victim and aggressor, or suggest de-escalation through Ukrainian territorial concessions are unacceptable.
Such initiatives call into question the global security architecture and the rules-based international order, as they tend to legitimize the use of force as a tool for achieving political goals. They create a risk of «freezing» the conflict, giving Russia additional time to prepare for further attacks against Ukraine. We cannot allow this, as we do not want future generations to inherit this war. We must address this threat here and now.
We believe that all our partners share the view that alternative peace ideas that do not consider the need to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity are neither viable nor appropriate.
Not long ago, the President of Ukraine proposed a new initiative – the Victory Plan. Could you share the main idea of this document?
On 16 October, President Zelenskyy presented the Victory Plan to the Ukrainian Parliament to bring peace closer. The Plan aims to make Ukraine strong enough to end the war no later than next year. If we do not significantly strengthen ourselves now, Putin will bolster his position to the point where diplomacy is no longer viable.
The Plan consists of five points and three classified annexes:
The Victory Plan is a path to strengthening Ukraine and building a bridge to the second Peace Summit. If Russia’s war against Ukraine ends at a Peace Summit based on international law, it will deter other potential aggressors. Internally, Ukraine is working on an internal Victory Plan focused on resilience and optimal use of its own strength, to be presented in November.