French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that the next peace negotiations for the ongoing war in Ukraine will be “promoted” in Geneva, Switzerland. While Switzerland has shown enthusiasm for this initiative, there are indications that Russia might be overly excited about it.
Macron spoke after the European Leaders Conference at the White House on Monday, revealing that discussions have been arranged for the next stage of peace talks. Expected to involve face-to-face discussions, these talks will likely include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former President Donald Trump, taking place in Europe. Macron emphasized the need for a neutral location.
According to the French newspaper Lemond, Macron remarked, “It’s going to happen.” He mentioned that he envisions Geneva or other neutral countries as suitable venues, referencing that previous bilateral talks convened in Istanbul.
On the other hand, Putin has expressed a strong preference for Moscow as the location for their next meeting, reiterating this point during a recent summit with President Trump. From reports, it appears that he communicated this again on Monday amid discussions with European leaders. An unnamed source noted that President Zelensky has previously dismissed this notion.
Swiss officials have recognized that their long-standing neutrality has been somewhat compromised due to their participation in European sanctions against Russia.
Nonetheless, Swiss leaders are keen to solidify their role in the peace process. According to the Swiss German newspaper Blick, both France and Italy have voiced support for Geneva as the venue, echoing sentiments expressed by Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. He stated, “Switzerland is very happy to do this,” explaining that their enthusiasm has been communicated to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in recent months.
Cassis added that Switzerland would grant immunity from international arrest warrants to any Russians attending the peace summit.
Despite this, Cassis acknowledged that relations with Russia have soured due to sanctions, a sentiment shared by veteran diplomat Thomas Greminger. Greminger, the former executive director of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), who previously led peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in 2014, commented, “Switzerland would be the perfect host.”
He further noted that European nations view Switzerland as a trusted partner for such a crucial event, expressing a preference for Switzerland over other proposed locations like Turkey or Saudi Arabia.
When questioned on the likelihood of Switzerland being chosen as the venue, Greminger estimated a 50% chance, suggesting that Ukraine is unlikely to object. He acknowledged that while Russian diplomacy claims Switzerland is no longer neutral, ultimately, they still seem oriented towards Swiss engagement.
