The second global peace summit for Ukraine will be held in a country from the so-called Global South, probably in the Middle East, in an effort to portray the "world's unity" amid Russia's ongoing invasion, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak told Bloomberg in an interview published Aug. 1.
Ukraine held its first global peace summit in Switzerland that culminated with 87 countries and international institutions signing the peace summit communique.
Among other things, the communique called upon Russia to return the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant under full control of Ukraine, ensure uninterrupted manufacturing and supply of food products in Ukraine, secure full access to sea ports in the Black and Azov Seas, release all prisoners of war and return all deported Ukrainian children.
The countries notably absent from the list of signatories include India, Armenia, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Indonesia, Bahrain, Colombia, South Africa, Thailand, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates.
Although a specific location for the next peace summit has not yet been announced, Yermak's comments mark the first time Ukraine has publicly indicated where it hopes to hold the next peace summit.
No timeline currently exists for the next summit, however, sources within Ukraine's government have said that the country is planning to convene a second peace summit before the U.S. presidential election in November 2024.
Despite Russia not receiving an invite to the first global peace summit in June, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 31 that Russia must be present at a second peace summit in November in order to end the war.
"I believe – as do most countries – that at the second peace summit in November, Russian representatives must be present, otherwise we won't achieve viable results," Zelensky said. "If the whole world wants them at the (negotiating) table, then we can't be against it."
During his interview with Bloomberg, Yermak echoed the sentiments posed by Zelensky, stating that "the most important expectation for the second summit is for it to shape major prerequisites for stopping the hostilities."
"We need to end this war as soon as possible to get a just peace," Yermak added.
Russia has previously said it will not attend a second peace summit.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
