Peace summit must demonstrate support for international law – Czech diplomat

The participation of many countries in the Global Peace Summit next month will be a step forward towards a lasting and just peace.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Marian said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"We believe that most of the international community could unite itself around the international law principles that are embedded in the UN Charter. The wide presence at the summit could then be viewed as a step forward towards a lasting and just peace in Ukraine," said the diplomat who represented his country at a peace-seeking meeting in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

According to him, the Czech Republic expects from this summit a further demonstration and confirmation of the international community's support for the principles of international law that Russia has so bluntly violated when starting the aggression against Ukraine.

Marian said that it was equally important and necessary to talk to partners from the so-called Global South and explain to them the core of the Russian aggression and the ways how it undermines international order and stability.

"It is also in their interest to find a lasting and just peace solution because Russia's aggression has far-reaching global consequences (food and energy security, nuclear safety and security)," he said.

Marian noted that the Czech Republic, together with France, Japan and Sweden, chairs the working group on nuclear and radiation safety (WG1 - Radiation and Nuclear Safety) in the framework of President Volodymyr Zelensky's 10-point peace plan. Last month, a working meeting of the members of this group was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, involving 26 delegations from individual countries and international organizations and more than 70 participants - experts and diplomats. Ukraine was represented by Energy Minister German Galushchenko, Deputy Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, and Director of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Energoatom Oleksandr Depenchuk.

"The main outcomes of the workshop focused on the ways how to foster nuclear safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and on possible international assistance in this area," Marian said.

The Global Peace Summit will be held in Switzerland on June 15-16. President Petr Pavel will represent the Czech Republic at the summit.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic