On June 15-16, 2024, the Global Peace Summit took place in Switzerland. A lot of contradictory information and opinions have appeared in the media and social networks. Of course, there were attempts by Russia and its “partners” to discredit the event, try to neutralize the results, and create confusion. Let’s figure out what practical results or achievements have been achieved.
The summit demonstrated the global community’s lack of fear towards Putin and, more broadly, autocracies that have asserted themselves since the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine. Putin’s ultimatums can be effectively countered through a strong, consolidated stance by countries from all continents.
Ukrainians, like nobody else, managed to unite the countries of the “global North” (the West) and the “Global South” (Africa, Asia, Latin America) to discuss the World problems. From food and nuclear security issues (the functioning of critical infrastructure, in particular, the restoration of Ukraine’s control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant) to the security of a specific individual (respect for human rights, including the maintenance and exchange of prisoners; the return of kidnapped children).
This approach enables countries facing crises and attacks to see the Swiss summit format as a model for establishing conditions that constrain the aggressor, making it impossible for them to continue the war and compelling them to retreat under international pressure.
«The networked organization of civil society, combined with innovative approaches to weaponry, strategies, and their application tactics, helps Ukraine withstand the war against a vast, vertically organized empire.»
The flexibility and adaptability of bilateral contacts, along with the broad participation of international representatives, are particularly valuable during crises for international institutions tasked with maintaining global security.
The fact that the humanitarian consequences of the war and crisis were at the center of the summit’s attention can also be seen as a sign of a return to civilized norms of international coexistence. The norms that Putin brutally rebuked by invading Ukraine, launching a process of “dehumanization”, comparable to the horrors of Nazism.
Finally, the summit serves as a reminder to those eager to seize others’ territories that in the 21st century, this is an extremely misguided and unprofitable strategy. Russia, a grand «patchwork empire,» clearly finds that this alone is insufficient for integration into the modern world order. The resulting development crisis, driven by sanctions, vividly demonstrates this point.
Flexible bilateral ties and local alliances provide stability to the entire international system. As demonstrated by Ukraine’s example, they can contribute to the resilience of a country that has fallen victim to aggression. This understanding is shared by both the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian diplomacy, making the organization of such a large-scale summit well within their capabilities.
«The summit showcased the diverse opportunities available to various countries. For Europe, the meeting provided an occasion to demonstrate its consolidated position and express support for Ukraine as a state that plays by civilized Western rules. For the countries of the ‘Global South,’ it created an opportunity to bring their issues to the global stage, proving that the voices of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America are crucial for establishing a new, just world order.»
«For international organizations whose reputations have been tarnished by Putin’s war, the summit became a ‘lifeline,’ allowing them to engage in the current agenda of assisting the civilian population and reconstructing Ukraine.»
Ukraine, besieged by Putin’s army, has once again asserted that, despite all the Kremlin’s machinations, it has been and continues to be a subject of world politics, a sovereign state striving for just peace, development, and good neighborly relations with countries on all continents.
Political adviser