No Russia in Malta: Ukraine promotes “peace formula” at summit

There is no Russia in Malta
Ukraine promotes “peace formula” at summit

October 28, 2023, 7:21 pm

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At a time when support for Ukraine is at times collapsing, 65 countries are meeting in Malta for a peace summit. Kiev sees it as a “demonstration” of the global community. While Russia is protesting against this meeting, China also seems to be staying away this time.

A third major international Ukraine gathering has begun in Malta for a possible post-peace summit to end Russia’s war of aggression. “International support for the Ukrainian peace formula is growing,” the head of the presidential office in Kyiv, Andriy Yermak, said at the opening.

High-level diplomats and national security advisers from many countries gather at the conference. Jermak spoke of 65 states, which is significantly more than in Saudi Arabia during the summer. According to government sources, Germany is represented at “high official levels in the Chancellor’s Office and the Foreign Office”.

Ten Point Plan for Peace

Ukraine is expected to use the two days of talks through Sunday as an opportunity to drum up support for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan. A key element of the ten-point “peace formula” refers to the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country. As with previous conferences in Copenhagen and Jeddah, topics such as energy, food and nuclear security, as well as humanitarian issues and the restoration of Ukraine’s borders will be discussed.

“This is truly a demonstration that the world is interested in justice and victory for Ukraine,” Yermak said of the Malta meeting. “Russia’s misperceptions that interest in Ukraine is waning are not true.”

Russia was not invited and the talks were criticized as an “overtly anti-Russian event”. China, which started its own peace efforts as an ally of Russia, is said to have withdrawn this time, unlike in the summer.

Discussions on aid to Ukraine

The United States, Germany and Great Britain and the European Union are considered the most important supporters of Ukraine. Nevertheless, Ukraine is concerned about eroding support in the West. There are also discussions about billions in aid in the US.

Before the meeting, Ermak said in an interview on the US television channel Fox that Kiev continues to count on Washington’s help. “Our victory will be a shared victory because a Russian defeat is in America’s strategic and political interests.” At the same time, he said, “winning this war will be very difficult — or impossible — without the help of the United States and other partners.”