States at Summit on Peace in Ukraine agree on common positions and next steps
Bern, 16.06.2024 - At the close of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on Sunday, 16 June, the vast majority of participating states agreed on jointly formulated positions and next steps with a view to a future peace process. President Viola Amherd commended the joint communiqué that emerged from the Bürgenstock summit as a strong signal from the international community for peace based on international law and the UN Charter. 92 states from all regions of the world took part in the summit, 57 of which were represented by heads of state and government.
The outcome of the Bürgenstock summit marked a first important step on the challenging path towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, President Amherd explained. The discussions focused on three topics: nuclear safety, food security and the humanitarian dimension of the conflict (covering prisoners of war, arbitrarily detained civilians and abducted children). These topics lend themselves to building trust between the parties to the conflict, as an agreement in these areas would be beneficial for both sides. Furthermore, these are issues that are of great importance to many countries, partly due to their geographical proximity, partly because they themselves are or have been affected by these issues and can share their experiences.
Countries from different regions of the world took part in the discussions and were able to contribute their own experiences and put forward possible solutions. The joint communiqué that emerged from the Bürgenstock summit was supported by the vast majority of participating states. It reflects the desire of the states to contribute to the peace process. The positions taken in the three areas of discussion create a basis of trust. The need to involve all parties to the conflict was also emphasised.
It is the first time that Switzerland has hosted a summit of this magnitude. The broad participation from all regions of the world is an expression of trust in Switzerland and was made possible thanks to Switzerland's global diplomatic network. President Amherd emphasised that Switzerland would continue to play an active role in the next steps. President Amherd and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), praised the cooperation with the participating states and expressed their thanks to the international partners and all those who contributed to the smooth running of the event. In addition to the federal government, the authorities of the Canton of Nidwalden have also been heavily involved. Security at the summit was ensured by the police and the armed forces.
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