Russia not to participate in Ukraine peace summit

Russia will not participate in a possible second peace summit on Ukraine, as it is unrelated to resolving the conflict, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, reported Xinhua.

Zakharova made the remarks in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plan for a second peace summit in November, where he intended to invite Russian representatives.

"Russian representatives have not participated in any meetings under the so-called Burgenstock Process and do not plan to do so. This process has nothing to do with genuine conflict resolution," she said on the ministry's website.

The summit aims to promote the unworkable Zelensky formula as the sole basis for resolving the conflict, seeking international support and using it as a platform to issue Russia an ultimatum for surrender, she added.

Zakharova reiterated that Russia does not reject a diplomatic resolution to the crisis and remains open to discussions on serious proposals that reflect the situation on the ground, evolving geopolitical realities and the initiative proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 14.

"Without Russia and without taking its interests into account, achieving a fair and sustainable resolution is impossible," she said.

Zakharova criticized Kiev and Western nations for focusing on war rather than peace, citing recent Ukrainian attacks on the Kursk region and requests for long-range NATO weapons capable of striking deep into Russian territory.