Zelensky still setting up peace summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Kyiv has not fixed a date for a summit that would set parameters to end the war because Kyiv is working to bring as many nations as possible to the table.

Ukraine has proposed a peace summit for several months and aims to attract countries beyond Kyiv s allies. “We are organising’ a summit — we want to involve as many countries as possible, that’s why we did not set the date yet,” Zelensky said.

He was speaking on arrival at a gathering of more than 40 European leaders in Moldova.

At a Group of Seven meeting in Japan in May when he met nonaligned countries including India, and earlier at an Arab League summit, Zelensky laid out Kyiv’s plan to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and proposed a global summit.

Several locations in Scandinavia have been mooted with Denmark offering to host. A European diplomatic source said there was also a possibility of staging it in Lithuania before a Nato heads of state meeting in the capital Vilnius on July 10-11.

Zelensky last year proposed a 10-point peace plan, which called on Russia to withdraw all its troops from Ukraine.

But while allies endorsed his plan, they said it was vital for Ukraine to draw countries that had not distanced themselves from Russia or sat on the fence.

Some, from China to the AU, have launched their own diplomatic efforts.

Western officials said Ukraine needed to broaden its demands to take into consideration others’ views.

A senior French diplomatic source said there was no point holding a summit unless everyone agreed to certain parameters, including the need to comply with international law.