Calmy-Rey: Interim steps also possible without Russia
Published: Saturday, Jan 20th 2024, 02:00
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According to former Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, interim steps towards peace in Ukraine are also conceivable without Russia. Instead of a peace conference for Ukraine, we should be talking about preliminary negotiations, as she said in an interview.
In the current situation, diplomacy cannot get going, said Calmy-Rey in an interview with Tamedia published on Saturday. Both parties, Ukraine and Russia, still believed they could win the war. Opinions differed widely as to how the parties could be persuaded to end their hostilities.
But intermediate steps are possible. The former SP Federal Councillor is thinking of the grain agreement, the exchange of prisoners, the safety of nuclear power plants and demining.
Unlimited support not helpful
It is unlikely that Russia will take part in the first meeting. According to Calmy-Rey, diplomatic steps towards a peace solution are also conceivable without Russia. However, the negotiations should not be limited to the ten points of the Ukraine peace plan. "China's proposals must also be included," she said. Switzerland must define those points where common denominators can be found.
From an ethical point of view and in terms of compliance with international law, Switzerland's unrestricted support for Ukraine is more than justified. "However, it is more than questionable whether this can serve a negotiated solution," said Calmy-Rey.
The former Federal Councillor sees the key to a possible peace solution in a distinction: Russia probably does not have the goal of destroying the existence of Ukraine, but rather Ukraine as an "anti-Russian project".
It is still unclear when a possible peace conference will take place. The group of participants is also open. The President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, would like to see a conference with the broadest possible support and as many participating countries as possible, as she said at the beginning of the week.
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