Majority of 90 countries at Ukraine peace summit sign declaration

STORY: The vast majority of more than 90 countries attending a Swiss summit on peace for Ukraine supported its final declaration, as it concluded on Sunday (June 14).

Initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the two-day summit at the Swiss Alpine resort of Buergenstock aimed to find a consensus on how to end the war in Ukraine.

"I am confident that together we will ensure the result. The first and the second peace summits should unite our joint work on the details of peace."

Many Western leaders voiced condemnation of Russia's invasion and rejected President Vladimir Putin's demands for parts of Ukraine as a condition for peace.

However, some countries that attended the summit did not put their name to the communique, including Mexico, Saudi Arabia and India.

There was no clarity on whether future talks would involve Russia.

Swiss president, Viola Amherd.

"A lasting solution must involve both parties. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the discussions over the past two days have shown that there are different points of view. All the more important is our understanding that the path towards peace in Ukraine must be pursued on the basis of international law, and in particular, the United Nations Charter."

Moscow, which was not invited, labeled the summit a waste of time.

China was another notable absentee.

The conference nevertheless underscored both the broad support Ukraine still enjoys from its allies but also the challenges for any lasting ceasefire.

A draft of the final declaration seen by Reuters refers to Russia's invasion as a 'war', a label Moscow rejects.

It calls for Ukraine's control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and its Azov Sea ports to be restored and for Ukraine's territorial integrity to be respected.

But in line with the conference's more modest stated aims, it omitted tougher issues of what a post-war settlement for Ukraine might look like and whether Ukraine could join the NATO alliance.

The Kremlin did not rule out future talks with Kyiv, but said guarantees will be needed to ensure the credibility of any negotiations.

Whether there will be a follow up to the summit, and where it would be held remained unclear.