U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to Attend Ukraine Peace Conference in Switzerland
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris and national security adviser, Jake Sullivan will attend a Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland on June 15, Excel Magazine International can report.
Harris will travel to Switzerland to underscore Washington’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the principles of the U.N. Charter, according to Vice President Harris’ communications director, Kirsten Allen.
“Vice President Harris will reaffirm U.S. support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression,” Allen stated.
The Kremlin has repeatedly asserted that any talks on securing peace in Ukraine should involve Russia, which has not been invited to the summit.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that the Philippines will participate in the peace conference. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Philippines for its support.
“I am grateful to the Philippines for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, for its clear position on Russia’s aggression against our country, and for supporting important U.N. resolutions,” Zelenskyy said.
Speaking at a security conference in Singapore on Sunday, Zelenskyy accused China of aiding Russian efforts to disrupt the peace conference by pressuring leaders of other countries not to attend.
“These attempts to disrupt the summit are systematic and are unprecedentedly large in scale, which once again confirms that we are doing everything right,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
Kuleba noted that Russia’s efforts to sabotage the summit were focused on countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning rejected the accusations on Monday, stating that China “believes that all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported.”
China has called for a peace conference with equal participation from all sides, including Russia, which remains uninvited.
Despite its proclaimed neutrality, China’s trade with Russia has increased, helping Moscow withstand Western economic sanctions.
Ukrainian, U.S., and other intelligence agencies have also indicated that Chinese parts are ending up in Russian weaponry, even if China is not directly arming its neighbor.
The peace conference is scheduled for June 15-16, with high expectations for significant diplomatic efforts to address the ongoing conflict.
