MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Kiev plans to formally invite at least 160 countries to send representatives to a conference on settling the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, to be hosted by Switzerland, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andrey Yermak, said on Monday.
"Invitations will be extended to at least 160 countries," Yermak said on air in a broadcast of Ukrainian TV channel Rada. "We intend to invite [to attend the conference] all countries that are of principal importance to us."
The official clarified that the countries of principle importance to Kiev are those that display respect for Ukraine's independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"We are open for discussions on all other matters, but regarding the principal issues it is important for us that these countries share our stance," Yermak added.
After a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on January 15, Swiss President Viola Amherd said that the Ukrainian leader had asked her to organize a high-level peace conference. The initiative received a positive response among Swiss authorities in Bern, the capital of Switzerland, which may be the venue for the mooted conference.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignacio Cassis said at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 14 that Russia should be included in the list of participants of the peace discussions on Ukraine in Switzerland.
Switzerland, which is a member of neither NATO nor the European Union, supports the EU’s anti-Russian sanctions and has been put on Russia’s list of unfriendly countries.
Addressing the G20 summit in November, 2022, Zelensky said that Kiev had a "plan to achieve peace" consisting of ten points. Among them are nuclear, food and energy security, and an "all-for-all" exchange of "detainees," as well as the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity. The plan, however, completely ignores Moscow’s stance regarding the conflict.
Meanwhile, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Zelensky’s statements about a peaceful settlement were out of touch with reality. Moscow sees no progress in the settlement process around Ukraine and that is why it is continuing its special military operation.