Zelenskyy speaks in favor of inviting Russia to next Ukraine peace conference

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russia has to be represented at the next peace conference on Ukraine.

Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said he set a task for the Ukrainian government to organize the event by November this year.

"I think that representatives of Russia should be at the second summit," he said. A June 15-16 conference on Ukraine in Burgenstock, Switzerland took place without Russia's participation.

Representatives from 92 nations and 8 international organizations attended the conference in Switzerland. It ended with the adoption of the final statement, which was not signed by some countries including Brazil, India, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

The communique covered three issues: Ukraine’s grain export, the safety of nuclear power stations and the return of war prisoners.

A day before the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin moved forward his own peace initiative, calling on Ukraine to recognize Russia's territorial claims made during the "special military operation" that started in February 2022.