Sybiha explains why Russia should be invited to second Peace Summit

Russian representatives should be invited to the second Peace summit in order to develop the principles of long-term peace in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha addressed the issue at the ministerial conference on the human dimension of the Peace Formula, held in Montreal, Canada.

"Yes, we support the invitation of Russian representatives to the second peace summit but we will never support peace initiatives developed without Ukraine and behind Ukraine’s back. We will never support peace agreements at the expense of Ukraine. We will never support peace agreements that leave the perpetrators unpunished," said Sybiha.

He emphasized that "unpunished evil returns with more evil". "We in Ukraine unfortunately know this better than anyone else," the minister said.

The head of the Foreign Ministry urged the participants of the conference to "stop this evil together, to do it once and for all, to do it now”.

According to the top diplomat, it is hard to find another nation in the world that wants peace more than the Ukrainian people. "But peace at any cost is not peace it is a capitulation, occupation, deportation and torture. Ukraine will never agree to this," Sybiha stressed.

Regarding the expectations of the conference on the human dimension of the Peace Formula, the minister said it should take concrete steps regarding the return of captured and deported persons to Ukraine.

"I hope that as a result of this conference, we will come up with concrete solutions, and identify specific actors who can systematically and effectively influence the return of our children back home," said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He stated that the current international system has demonstrated its inability to deliver. "We have to fix it," Sybiha concluded.

As reported, a two-day thematic conference on the fourth point of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, the Release of prisoners of war and deportees, kicked off in Montreal on Wednesday. Representatives from nearly 70 countries and international organizations are taking part in the event, jointly organized by Canada and Norway as co-chairs of the working group on the implementation of the said formula point. It is expected that a joint communique will be adopted at the conference.