The proposal, which has already been supported by the parliament's lower chamber, is seen as a means to curb Russian intelligence activities in the country ahead of the June peace summit for Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he anticipates the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland will yield an action plan addressing three key areas: free navigation to protect port infrastructure, global food security, and Ukraine's economic development.
"We're working intensively on the diplomatic front to convince those who haven't yet announced their participation," Nicolas Bideau, head of communications at the Swiss Foreign Ministry, told Swiss public radio RTS.
"The First Peace Summit for Ukraine is in June — and Canada will be there," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on X. "I look forward to joining other world leaders to advance our shared goal of just and lasting peace for Ukraine."
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the archbishop of Constantinople and the most senior hierarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, confirmed his participation in the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 10.
Switzerland has invited Pope Francis to attend the upcoming global peace summit dedicated to ending the war in Ukraine, Swiss President Viola Amherd said on May 5.
Participants of the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland will formulate a common negotiating position and submit it to Russia, presidential spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov said on May 3, according to Deutsche Welle.
Key developments on May 2: * Military: Russia trying to break through front in 3 directions * Authorities: Russian attack on Kharkiv Oblast town injures 7 children, elderly man * Switzerland peace summit to take place on June 15-16, Russia not invited "at this stage" * Zelensky: Russia drops over 3,200 guided aerial
Ukraine's peace summit in Switzerland will be held on June 15-16, based on an agreement between Kyiv and Bern, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 2.
While the proposal must still get through more legislative steps before becoming law, it was supported by lawmakers from both center-right and center-left parties.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 24 that Ukraine has precise intelligence information that Russia is preparing to disrupt a global peace summit set to take place in Switzerland in June.
Russia has to participate in a global peace summit "sooner or later," even if it does not attend its first meeting, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said in Bern, as reported by the Associated Press (AP) on April 10.
The Swiss government confirmed on April 10 that it would host a global peace summit on Russia's war against Ukraine in June at the Burgenstock resort in the canton of Nidwalden.
Switzerland plans to allocate 5 billion Swiss francs ($5.5 billion) to support Ukraine's economic development and reconstruction by 2036, the Swiss Federal Council announced on April 10.
Switzerland aims to host a global peace summit on Russia's war against Ukraine in mid-June with 80-100 countries invited to attend, Bloomberg reported on April 8, citing people familiar with the matter.
China is considering taking part in talks on Ukraine's peace formula in the coming months, Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Wang Shihting told Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung on March 18.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, suggested in February that representatives from Russia might be invited to the scheduled talks.
"In the case of the practical implementation of such plans by Bern, retaliatory measures by the Russian side will be inevitable," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its official Telegram channel.
The Swiss government estimated in December 2023 that it had frozen $8.8 billion in Russian state assets as part of its sanctions against Russia.
Switzerland has expanded its sanctions against Russia in line with the European Union’s 13th package of sanctions, the Swiss government announced on March 1.
Ukraine could invite representatives from Russia to a future peace summit if an upcoming meeting of global leaders in Switzerland proves successful, Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's Presidential Office head, said at the "Ukraine. Year 2024" forum on Feb. 25.
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said it had launched an investigative task force to enforce the sanctions and investigate 230 potential sanctions breaches.
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