Russian aggression against Ukraine began in 2014 with the seizure of Crimea and hostilities in the Donbas. On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation carried out a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin is waging a colonial and imperialist war to destroy Ukrainian statehood and Ukrainians as a nation. In addition, Putin is not going to stop at Ukraine. He has far-reaching plans that threaten both Europe and the whole world.
Let us recall that back in November 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced to the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries a “Peace Formula” to restore the security of Ukraine and international order. It consists of ten points:
1. Radiation and nuclear safety. This includes the demilitarization of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, occupied by Russian troops. That is, the withdrawal of troops, the control over the station by the IAEA and the Ukrainian personnel, the connection the station to the Ukrainian energy grid.
2. Food security is an indefinite extension of Ukraine’s export grain initiative — no matter when the war ends.
3. Energy security. A mission of UN experts monitor the objects of damaged critical energy infrastructure of Ukraine. Russia abandons strikes on Ukrainian energy generation. Price restrictions on Russian energy resources should be introduced to prevent them from being used as weapons.
4. The release of all prisoners and deportees. The “all for all” exchange model.
5. Russia’s implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the world order. Russia must reaffirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine within the framework of the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the applicable international legally binding documents.
6. Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities. We are talking about all its troops and other armed formations. Ukraine’s control over all sections of the state border must be restored.
7. Justice. The establishment of the Special Tribunal regarding the crime of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and the creation of an international mechanism to compensate for all the damages at the expense of Russian assets.
8. Ecocide, the need for immediate protection of environment. Creation of a platform to assess the environmental damage of war. An increased number of equipment and experts for demining. Funds and technologies are also needed for the restoration of water treatment facilities.
9. The prevention of escalation. An effective security assurances.
10. Confirmation of the end of the war. When all the antiwar measures are implemented, a document confirming the end of the war should be signed by the parties.
The Ukrainian “Peace Formula” has won wide support among partner countries. However, now it cannot be implemented. Since the formula contradicts Russia’s plans and intentions, an aggressor country that tries to prevent its implementation. The Kremlin is ready to a temporary “freeze” the war on its own conditions.
Security and peace in Ukraine are important both for Ukraine itself and for Europe. After all, representatives of the Russian government and propagandists have repeatedly emphasized that after Ukraine, the Russian army would go further. Putin is determined to return the former Soviet Union to its “imperial glory” and geographical borders. For him, Ukraine is a satellite state of the Russian Federation. Kazakhstan, Moldova, the Baltic countries, Poland, Germany may be the next…
Ukraine seeks to restore a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. And the “Peace Formula” helps to understand how to do it. Thus, on January 15, 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Swiss counterpart Viola Amherd agreed to start preparations for the Global Peace Summit (based on ten points of the “Peace Formula”) at the level of heads of state and government, and leaders of international organizations. The Summit should begin the process of developing a joint peace framework that should stop Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This event is a high-level dialogue about peace in Ukraine based on international law and the UN Charter.
It is expected that the Global Peace Summit will be held on June 15-16 in Switzerland and more than 100 countries will take part in it. Switzerland has already held talks with G7 member countries, the European Union and representatives of the Global South such as China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. The Swiss government said that “there is currently sufficient international support for a high-level conference to launch the peace process.” The participation of the Russian Federation in the Peace Summit is not considered. The Summit should resemble the format of four previous peace conferences on the situation in Ukraine, which were held in Denmark, Saudi Arabia and Malta in 2023, and in Davos in January 2024.
By its “Peace Formula”, Ukraine demonstrates to the whole world its desire to end the war on the basis of international law and universal human values. In addition, the Peace Summit will become an effective platform for Ukraine to show its positions, as well as highlight the aggressive goals and actions of the Kremlin, and widely spread information about its crimes against the civilian population of Ukraine. The conference will contribute to the consolidation of partners of official Kyiv in matters of strengthening support and assistance to Ukraine. It will also contribute to pressure on Russia, including by tightening and introducing new sanctions against the aggressor country.
Ukraine stands firm in its desire for peace. “The Peace Summit can and should prove that it is not someone alone who will determine how everyone else in the world will live, not someone’s stupid power that will determine this, but the world majority — together, on the basis of international law, on the basis of the UN Charter, on the basis of our Formula for Peace, which returns international law to effectiveness,” President of Ukraine Zelenskyy emphasized.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand that the implementation of the “Peace Formula” will liberate the territory of Ukraine from occupation, restore international law and make possible legal proceedings against Russia, in order to exclude such aggressive actions against any country in the world in the future.