Russia dismisses Davos discussion on Ukrainian president’s peace plan

Russia has dismissed discussions on a peace plan proposed by Ukraine at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in Switzerland as pointless.

The talks in the Swiss mountain resort will achieve nothing without Moscow’s participation, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, insisted on Monday. Organisers said 83 delegations had been present at the meeting to discuss the plan the previous day.

Put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the 10-point peace plan, designed to end the war sparked by Russia’s invasion of its neighbour in February 2022, calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops, restoration of Ukraine’s state borders, and Russian accountability for war crimes.

The proposal was discussed at a summit of national security advisers at the annual WEF meeting on Sunday. Zelenskyy’s plan has previously been discussed at three such gatherings.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, called it a “good sign” that the number of participants in the string of conferences is expanding.

While nearly half of the delegations present on Sunday were from Europe, there were 18 from Asia and 12 from Africa.

“Countries from the Global South are increasingly getting involved in our work. It shows understanding that this European conflict is in fact a challenge for all humanity,” he wrote.

However, Ukraine insists that it will not discuss the plan with Russia. Zelenskyy has decreed that any talks with Russia are illegal.

That has motivated Russia, which controls a little less than a fifth of Ukrainian territory, to dismiss the idea as absurd.

“This is simply talking for the sake of talking,” Peskov said. “This process cannot be aimed at achieving any specific results for the obvious reason – we are not participating. Without our participation, any discussions are devoid of any prospect of any results.”