Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the peace conference to be held in Switzerland regarding the Ukraine war as a ‘Panopticon’ and even a circus. Furious over the peace summit, Putin has refuted the claim in which Switzerland had said that ‘Russia has been invited’ for the peace summit.
What is Panopticon?
According to reports in the public domain, Putin warned that “nothing can be imposed on us.” In a meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin said that “since we are not going there, the peace talks without us are a complete circus.” The Russian President declared the meeting to be held in Switzerland as ‘Panopticon’.
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Panopticon is a prison where all the prisoners live in separate cells and cannot see each other. But the jail warden can sit from one place and keep an eye on the cells of all the prisoners.
Don’t try to impose anything on us: Putin
Regarding the conference to be held in Switzerland in June, Vladimir Putin has said “Moscow will not accept any implemented agreement that ignores its interests.”
Talking to the President of Belarus about the peace summit, Putin said, “We have nothing to do with the peace talks taking place in Switzerland. But it is impossible to decide anything without us.” Putin has once again supported peace with Ukraine, saying that “We want there to be peace, but imposing anything by ignoring our interests has nothing to do with reality…”
Will talk about escalating conflict, not ‘peace’: Belarus
Ukraine was the agenda of discussion when Russian President Putin met Belarus President Lukashenko. During this time, the President of Belarus also justified Russia’s point. The President of Belarus said, “Switzerland is calling the conference to be held in June as a peace conference. But they will only agree on how to escalate the conflict. Can there be a peace process without Russia? “If they want to talk about peace in Ukraine without Russia, let them do it.”
We want Russia to join the peace process: Switzerland
Switzerland has expressed hope that Russia will someday join the peace process. Swiss President Viola Emhard also issued a statement saying, “The two-day conference to be held in June is not the last one. There will be many more rounds of talks.”
Putin wants Belarus to once again play the role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine. But Ukraine has chosen Switzerland for the peace conference, because apart from Ukraine, many other countries also believe that Switzerland is neutral.
Background
A major meeting on bringing peace to Ukraine is being planned by Switzerland, set to happen in June 2024 at Bürgenstock. The goal of this gathering of leaders from various countries is to agree on a way forward for a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine, forming the foundation for a peace process.
Switzerland hopes to facilitate discussions on different strategies for peace in Ukraine during the conference. The aim is to host talks at a high level to explore how to achieve a comprehensive, fair, and lasting peace for Ukraine, based on international laws and the principles of the UN Charter. This effort intends to establish a shared understanding of the conditions needed for this goal and to map out a practical plan for the peace process.
Through organizing this conference, Switzerland seeks to contribute significantly to enhancing security and stability not only in Europe but also globally. The details of the conference program are currently being finalized, and negotiations are underway between Switzerland and Ukraine. It is anticipated that the conference will span a little over a day and will involve both large plenary sessions with all delegation leaders and smaller group discussions on various topics.
Around 120 countries including the US, China, India, and the European Union are expected to receive invitations at the level of heads of state and government to participate in the conference. The primary objective is to create a forum for high-level discussions on achieving a comprehensive, fair, and lasting peace for Ukraine based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter. Switzerland’s initiative in organizing this conference underscores its commitment to fostering dialogue aimed at securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, following previous important meetings such as the URC 2022 in Lugano and the National Security Advisors Meeting in Davos earlier in the year.