Putin Mocks Ukraine Peace Talks, Warns Against Enforced Plans Ignoring Russia's Interests

On Thursday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin derided the scheduled round of Ukraine peace talks in Switzerland, cautioning that Moscow will not agree with any imposed plans that disregard its interests.

Switzerland’s government announced on Wednesday that it will organize a high-level international conference in June to aid in establishing a path towards peace in Ukraine after over two years of conflict. The government expressed hope that Russia might eventually take part in the peace process.

Putin asserted that Russia had not been invited to participate in the June talks, highlighting Swiss acknowledgment that a peace process cannot move forward without Russia. He remarked, “They aren't inviting us there. Moreover, they think there is nothing for us to do there, but at the same time they say that's it's impossible to decide anything without us. It would have been funny if it weren't so sad."

Russia's Stance on Peace Formula

Russia has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula, which demands Moscow to withdraw its troops, provide compensation to Ukraine, and face an international tribunal for its actions. Speaking at a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Putin stated that Russia is open to negotiations but will never accept “any schemes that have nothing to do with reality.”

Putin has frequently stated that he dispatched troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to safeguard Russian interests and prevent Ukraine from posing a major security threat to Russia by joining NATO. While Kyiv and its allies have condemned Russia’s military campaign as an unprovoked act of aggression.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned last week that potential negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine could only succeed if they take Moscow’s interests into consideration. He dismissed a planned round of peace talks as a Western ploy to garner broader international support for Kyiv.