Rejection in China: Cassis hits the wall during Ukraine summit Azerbaijan holds early presidential elections – EPP National Council not allowed to enter

Perhaps it was a hopeless endeavor from the start. The chances of China participating in a summit in Switzerland on Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan were slim. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis tried it on Wednesday during his visit to Beijing. The Chinese ‘acknowledged’ the invitation.

In fact, it was a rejection wrapped in nice words. At a media conference, the FDP Federal Council tried to make light of it with diplomatic phrases. He hopes for continued help from China, because the country has great influence over the government in Moscow. However, Beijing considers a peace conference without Russia unrealistic.

But that is exactly what the planned conference is about, which Switzerland more or less promised to organize during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj’s visit to Bern in January. With his peace plan, Zelensky wants to get as many countries as possible, especially from the Global South, on his side.

Beijing is withholding the invitation

Russia is not welcome to participate in the conference. This made the task for Switzerland difficult from the start. It only makes sense if important countries such as Brazil, India and especially China participate. Beijing is officially neutral in the war in Ukraine, but in fact Xi Jinping has entered into ‘brotherhood’ with Vladimir Putin.

According to the correspondent of Radio SRF, the Chinese announcement about the meeting between Ignazio Cassis and his colleague Wang Yi and Vice President Hang Zhen did not mention the invitation to the Ukrainian conference. Even the general formulation that China supports peace efforts is not repeated.

Is the Federal Council naive?

What China’s leaders think about the Ukraine peace plan could hardly be expressed more clearly than with this omission: absolutely nothing. Xi Jinping sees Putin as a ‘junior partner’ against the ‘collective West’, especially the US. He also no longer has any inhibitions about helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions.

Cassis spoke to the media about perseverance: “If you don’t dare to start, you won’t finish.” And of course it is right that Switzerland does not hide behind its neutrality, but rather works to end the bloodshed in Ukraine. Nevertheless, one must wonder whether the Federal Council has behaved naively.

Destination of Zelenskyj’s visit

Apparently Zelenskyi’s visit to Bern was not or only partly about the weapons blocked by Switzerland or the frozen Russian assets. He wanted to win over our country for his peace summit. That was the only reason he came to Bern, which Federal President Viola Amherd indirectly confirmed in an interview with CH Media.

The Ukrainian head of state left it unclear for a long time whether he would stop in the federal capital before traveling to the WEF in Davos. Only when Amherd expressed his willingness by telephone on January 12, three days before the visit, to organize “a possible peace summit at ministerial or head of state level”, did official confirmation come.

Meeting with Lavrov

During the meeting at the Lohn estate, Switzerland’s commitment was made, but “only on the condition that the summit can be held successfully and that as many countries as possible participate,” as Amherd emphasized in the interview. The Federal Council had recognized the risk of failure, but Zelenskyj happily accepted the through ball.

The one-sided support for Ukraine caused dissatisfaction among right-wing politicians. It was all the more surprising that the following week Ignazio Cassis met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the UN in New York. The meeting showed that the Russians were somewhat nervous about the peace conference.

Disinterest in India too

With the involvement of Switzerland, Volodymyr Zelenskyj has made a smart move. It enjoys a good reputation in the Global South as a country without a colonial past and without a geopolitical agenda. The elites in these countries hardly care about disadvantages such as flight fees or violations of human rights and environmental standards.

Ultimately, however, Switzerland can do nothing against harsh realpolitik. Cassis’ invitation to the peace summit was met with polite disinterest not only in China, but also in India, which plays a questionable role in the war in Ukraine. But without these countries you have to wonder what point this conference is.

As mentioned, Switzerland has not made any specific commitments. However, if it doesn’t work out, she has to admit that her good offices are a kind of ‘fair weather concept’. Their contacts with Hamas have also had little or no effect in the conflict in the Middle East. Neutrality is often just an excuse not to expose yourself.

It would probably not play a major role for Switzerland’s international image if the summit does not take place in Ukraine. In the Western capitals there will be no illusions about the chances of success. But Volodymyr Zelenskyj would certainly talk about weapons and money again at the next meeting with Swiss politicians.