Ukraine says global ‘peace summit’ may take place next year

A global “peace summit” for Ukraine may now take place in February 2024, a top Kyiv official said on Thursday (9 November) amid concerns in the West that the war in Gaza is making it harder to win over diplomatic support for Kyiv’s blueprint for peace.

Ukraine had aimed to hold a summit of world leaders this year as it tries to build a global coalition of support to endorse a 10-point “formula” for peace drafted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kyiv has organised a series of talks attended by dozens of countries without Russia, mostly recently in Malta at the level of national security advisers, to work towards the summit, with Russia’s war now in its 21st month.

Ihor Zhovkva, Zelenskyy’s top diplomatic adviser, told Reuters on Thursday that Ukraine would arrange a fourth meeting of national security advisers in late November or early December.

“And the Global Summit might take place in February 2024,” he said in a written statement.

“The summit will definitely take place, as it will mark both the symbolic beginning of the practical implementation of the Ukrainian ‘peace formula’ and summarize all the results that have already been achieved on this track.”

The 10-point plan includes calls for the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, withdrawal of Russian troops, protection of food and energy supplies, nuclear safety and the release of all prisoners.

Ukraine has sought for months to build up relations with governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

But privately Western officials say they are concerned the conflict in the Middle East will deal a setback to Ukraine’s push to broaden its support and that it will also distract attention from Kyiv’s cause.

Zhovkva acknowledged the events in the Middle East were affecting agenda priorities for countries in the region, but noted that last month’s talks in Malta were still attended by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

“We don’t need the summit for the sake of summit. We are talking about the widest possible involvement of the leaders of the Global South. Therefore, we must carefully consider the time and place of the Summit,” he said.

On Thursday, Zelenskyy said he had discussed preparations for the summit with the presidents of Indonesia and Paraguay, asking them to join the effort.

The peace formula talks do not involve Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has occupied nearly a fifth of the country. Russia has rejected the peace “formula”, saying it would be impossible to implement.

Onslaught on Avdiivka intensifies

Russian troops are intensifying their attacks on the key eastern town of Avdiivka, a senior Ukraine officer said on Thursday, while the country’s general staff reported its military repelled many Russian assaults in widely separated sectors of the front.

Zelenskyy hailed Ukraine’s counteroffensive launched in June as “inspiring”, but gave no details.

Russian forces have focused on the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since their drive on Kyiv stalled in the first days of the invasion in February 2022.

They have been bearing down since mid-October on the shattered town of Avdiivka, known for its coking plant and its position as a gateway to the city of Donetsk, 20 km to the east.

Oleksandr Borodin, press officer for Ukraine’s third separate assault brigade, said Russian forces were launching major infantry attacks, while trying to keep equipment intact.

Borodin told the news outlet Espreso TV there were no dramatic statistics for destroying enemy equipment “because they use it much less, mainly from a distance.

“But their movements are quite dense now. It is not just infantry advancing but also parallel work of artillery, drones, aviation, the same air bombing and more.”

Russian forces, he told Espreso, were unable to replenish supplies quickly and Ukrainian defensive positions were solid.

“All this started after the events in Israel,” he said. “Perhaps they believe it is the best time to advance, but they have no serious successes.”

Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka’s military administration, told Espreso Russian forces were shelling the town “round the clock” but wet ground from several days of rain was holding their troops back

“Once the ground dries, they will definitely advance.”

Ukraine’s General Staff, in its evening report, said its forces had repelled 11 attacks near Avdiivka, 15 in the nearby Maryinka sector and 22 further northeast in Bakhmut, a town seized by Russian in May. Six attacks were repelled further north near Kupiansk, where Russian forces have been active.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, in an account of the day’s fighting, said Ukrainian forces shelled the town of Skadovsk in a Russian-occupied area of southern Kherson region. The report said there were dead and wounded in the attack.

Russia’s Defence Ministry reported strikes on Ukrainian troops and equipment near Bakhmut.

The reports from either side could not be independently verified.

(Edited by Georgi Gotev)

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