Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, has voiced strong criticism regarding the upcoming peace conference on Ukraine scheduled in Switzerland.
Notably, Russia will not be participating in this event set for June, an exclusion that Medvedev interprets as a triple advantage for Russia.
Medvedev's Bizarre Tripartite Benefit Analysis
Firstly, Medvedev predicts the conference will serve as another demonstration of the failure of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace plan, which he disparagingly referred to as the plan of a "fool."
He expressed hope that Zelenskyy's personal attendance at the event would further expose his "intellectual insufficiency."
The second benefit, according to Medvedev, lies in the conference highlighting the incapacity of Western powers to manage the Ukrainian crisis effectively.
Lastly, he contends that the absence of Russian participation at the summit will allow Russian military forces to continue their operations in Ukraine without interference, aiming to ultimately dismantle the Ukrainian political regime and reclaim territories for Russia.
Medvedev concluded his remarks with a sarcastic thanks to Switzerland, ironically dubbing it the "land of cheese and clocks."
Russia Calls for a Boycott
Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Russia's global partners to skip the summit.
She reiterated that Russia would not engage in any phase of these Swiss-led summits and encouraged vigilance against what she described as anti-Russian provocations by Kyiv and the West, which aim not for peace but continued confrontation.
The Russian Embassy in Bern dismissed the summit as merely a set of ultimatums without meaningful dialogue for conflict resolution, asserting that talks without Russian involvement are meaningless.
Meanwhile, as Switzerland extends invitations to 160 countries, concerns have been raised about the erosion of its long-standing neutral status, which traditionally benefited its role as a host of international conferences.
On the Ukrainian side, efforts are being made to ensure significant international presence at the conference, with particular emphasis on securing China's participation.
The presence of Zelenskyy himself remains uncertain.
