Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the Russian president’s plan propaganda which effectively suggested that Ukraine must withdraw from Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed it as a dictatorial peace.
A draft declaration issued at the summit reaffirms Ukraine’s territorial integrity and unambiguously rejects any nuclear threat against the country.
Putin had claimed he would agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew troops from four regions which Russia partially occupies and claims to have annexed.
Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, told reporters at the Swiss summit that there would be no compromise on independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity.
Putin revealed his terms ahead of the two-day Summit on Peace in Ukraine which is aimed at discussing the basic principles for ending the war.
More than 90 countries and global institutions are attending the event. It is the biggest gathering for Ukraine since the full-scale invasion. But Russia was not invited, and China – a key ally of Russia – is not attending, so expectations of significant progress at this stage are low.