Zelensky: 'Putin Fears This Summit, is Trying to Sabotage It'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated during a press conference in Brussels with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo that Vladimir Putin wants to obstruct the upcoming 'Global Peace Summit', according to a correspondent from Ukrinform.

“Putin fears this summit, trying to sabotage it and organize some parallel platform. Therefore, there are leaders who have not yet expressed their positions,” Zelensky said.

Today in Brussels, the Ukrainian president signed a bilateral security agreement with Belgium and thanked the Prime Minister for his principled support of the 'Global Peace Summit'.

“There are only two scenarios for the development of events—either real peace or the further escalation of war. We see that Russia is doing everything for the latter scenario, attempting to disrupt the peace summit. I thank every leader and every state that understands this and is doing everything to ensure that the peace summit can genuinely compel Russia towards peace. It is entirely possible. Everything depends on how decisive the world leaders will be, and on whether each state chooses whether it desires true peace or finds the current situation, which is advantageous to war, acceptable,” Zelensky stated, adding that he is awaiting responses from China and Brazil regarding their participation in the summit.

Zelensky referred to President Biden's potential absence from the peace summit as “not such a strong decision”. “I would very much like President Biden to be present in person (at the peace summit), and I know that America supports the summit, but we do not know with you to what extent,” he said.

“I believe President Biden is necessary for the peace summit, necessary for other leaders who are looking at the U.S. response. Only Putin would applaud his absence. And I mean literally,” Zelensky added.

Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly stated that holding such a summit without Russia, which has not been invited, is pointless and unpromising.