Zelensky says Russia should attend second Ukraine summit

KYIV, Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Russia should be represented at a second summit aiming to secure lasting peace with the Kremlin, after more than two years of war.

Both sides have shunned direct peace talks since negotiations between Russian and Ukraine delegations fell through in the early weeks of Russia´s invasion launched in February 2022. But dozens of world leaders voiced support for a just resolution to the fighting in Ukraine after a high-level summit convened by Zelensky last month in Switzerland. Russia was not invited.

During a press conference in Kyiv following his visit to the United States for a Nato defence alliance summit, Zelensky opened the door to direct talks with officials from Moscow. “I believe that Russian representatives should be at the second summit,” Zelensky said, describing preparations for a follow up gathering of Ukraine´s allies.

He announced separate meetings on key issues, including energy, to be held in Qatar and on food security in Turkey ahead of a second summit. He also said there would be a separate meeting on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian issues at a meeting in Canada. Leaders and top officials from more than 90 states gathered at a Swiss mountainside resort on June 15 for the two-day summit dedicated to resolving the largest European conflict since World War II. The Kremlin responded to the gathering saying th