Pakistan is reportedly likely to not attend a Ukraine peace conference hosted by Switzerland in mid-June, as it seeks to maintain its “neutrality” in the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kiev, according to national media. The summit is set to take place on June 15-16 at the Burgenstock Resort near Lucerne, with more than 160 countries invited, including members of the G7, G20, BRICS, and the EU. Notably, Russia has not been asked to attend the gathering.
An unnamed diplomatic source cited by Pakistan Today on Monday claimed that Russia’s absence from the meeting, as well as diplomatic pressure applied by the West, have put Islamabad in a delicate position, leaving its attendance uncertain. The report indicated that it is the first time that Pakistan has been invited to an international conference of this kind.
At a weekly briefing last week, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that Pakistan had received an invitation to attend the summit, stating that it was under consideration.
China announced last week that it would not attend the conference, as its conditions for participation had not been met. Beijing has emphasized that it will contribute to such talks only if Russia and Ukraine are both present.
Moscow has described the Swiss-proposed gathering as “pointless,” indicating that it would not participate even if invited. Ukraine had stated that Russia could only be involved in the peace process if it agreed to a litany of preconditions, which the Kremlin dismissed as unrealistic.
Vladimir Zelensky’s peace roadmap, promoted since 2022, calls for a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all territories Ukraine considers its own, for Moscow to pay reparations, and for a war crimes tribunal to be established.
Ukraine’s Western backers insist that a peace settlement can only be achieved on Kiev’s terms, and have vowed to continue supplying weapons “for as long as it takes.
The Kremlin has dismissed Ukraine’s demands as “unrealistic” and a sign of its unwillingness to seek a diplomatic solution. Moscow has maintained that it is open to discussions but will not accept a deal that ignores its national interests, stressing that Kiev must recognize the “reality on the ground.
Russia has also emphasized that no amount of foreign aid will change the course of the conflict.