GENEVA, March 26. /TASS/. Switzerland gave up its neutral status by joining anti-Russian sanctions, therefore Russia sees no opportunity for its leadership in any reconciliation process, said Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s envoy to the UN office and other international organizations in Geneva.
"Bern has waived its neutral stance, because Switzerland has joined all packages of sanctions imposed on us," the head of the Russian diplomatic mission told reporters in Geneva, mentioning "logistical problems and visa issues" that Russia has to face as a result of this choice.
"At present, we see no opportunity for Switzerland to assume the leading role in the process of organizing anything," he continued.
In the diplomat’s words, the Swiss initiative to convene a Ukraine-themed conference is aimed at holding such an event "without Russia’s participation," and "on the basis of [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky’s formula, which is unacceptable" for Moscow.
In January, Bern gave a positive response to the Ukrainian president’s request to hold a high-level peace conference on the Swiss territory. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a UN briefing on February 23 that the forum will be held at the ministerial level. He also claimed that Russia should be invited to join the process "sooner or later." Switzerland is expected to make the final decision about the event’s timeframe and format by mid-April.
The Russian foreign ministry’s official spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on March 13 that Moscow will never participate in Switzerland’s conference on Ukraine even if officially invited. The diplomat pointed out that "this forum will be dedicated to the promotion of [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky's 'peace formula' of ultimatum, although its Swiss organizers pretend that they are looking for a common denominator of peace initiatives of different countries." Zakharova emphasized that the upcoming conference is a continuation of the Copenhagen format meetings, which discredited themselves from the start and have now reached a stalemate.
Switzerland, which is not a member of NATO and the EU, supports anti-Russian sanctions of the European Union. In 2022, the Russian government approved a list of foreign states and territories committing unfriendly actions against Russia, its companies and citizens. The Swiss Confederation was added to this list.