Russia’s potential participation in Peace Summit wouldn’t equate to talks with aggressor - Ukraine’s Yermak

A representative from Russia could participate in the second international Summit on Peace in Ukraine, to whom a plan for the implementation of the 10 points of the Peace Formula would be handed over, but this would not mean the launch of Ukraine’s negotiations with Russia.

This was stated by the Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, who spoke in an interview with European Pravda, Ukrinform reports.

"As for the participation of the aggressor state. The president and his team always say the same thing. The participation of a Russian representative in the second summit is possible, to whom this plan (for the implementation of the 10 points of the Peace Formula - ed.) can be handed over. Such a possibility exists. But this does not mean that the second summit will mark the start of negotiations with Russia. We want this meeting, where the plan could be handed over, to take place not in the Ukraine-Russia format but in the presence of all those responsible states that endorsed our plan," he said.

When asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could be that representative with whom Ukraine could meet, Yermak replied that "it is too early to talk about it." He added that the National Security and Defense Council should provide a response to this question.

At the same time, the head of the President’s Office said he was not confident that the second summit will take place before year-end.

"The president has said several times that he is interested in the second summit taking place as soon as possible. But there are certain conditions that we are working on today. As soon as these conditions are met, we will be able to talk about the specific date and venue for this second summit ", said the head of the Office.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the inaugural Summit on Peace in Ukraine was held in Switzerland on June 15-16. Three points of Volodymyr Zelensky's Peace Formula were discussed at the event, including nuclear safety, food security, and the humanitarian dimension – the exchange of prisoners of war and he return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. After the summit, a joint communique was inked, which remains open for other parties to sign.