U.S. President Joe Biden will not attend the upcoming Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland, a decision that Volodymyr Zelenskiy has described as a gift to Russia.
Instead, Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will represent the U.S. during the two-day event in Lucerne starting June 15, the White House said in a statement Monday.
“The Vice President will underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principles of the U.N. Charter,” the White House said.
The Ukrainians had hoped that Biden would put in an appearance, given his plans to attend France’s D-Day anniversary celebrations and a meeting of G7 leaders in Italy in the days leading up to the summit.
According to Zelenskiy’s office, Ukraine has already secured promises from more than 100 countries to attend the peace summit in Lucerne.
Some key countries, including China, refused to come, citing the absence of a representative from the Russian Federation during the summit, the BBC reported in late May.
Speaking at a press conference Brussels last week, Zelenskiy said, “I believe that the peace summit needs President Biden, and other leaders need President Biden because they will look at the U.S.’s reaction.”
The U.S. president’s absence “would only be met by an applause by Putin — a personal, standing applause,” he added.
Switzerland will host the summit on June 15-16 that aims to build broad international support for Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace proposals, which includes the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, but Moscow has not been invited.
