Closed meeting to find peace formula for Russia-Ukraine

SGGPO 10/29/2023 12:14 PM

On October 29, officials and national security advisors from about 65 countries entered the second day of meetings to discuss a peace formula to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Scene of the meeting to discuss a peace formula to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. (Photo: The Globe and Mail)

The meeting, which took place on October 28 and 29 in a hotel auditorium in Malta, was organized by Ukraine in the form of a closed session. This was the third such meeting this year, after smaller meetings in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Copenhagen (Denmark). The first round of negotiations in Copenhagen in June had only 15 participants, while the second round in Jeddah in August increased to 43.

According to the AP news agency, the discussion also included nuclear security issues, especially ensuring the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, protecting energy infrastructure in the context of the upcoming winter. Food security and humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges, were also on the agenda.

Speaking at the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on countries to support a 10-point peace plan to end the conflict in the country, which calls for restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, withdrawing Russian troops, protecting food and energy supplies, nuclear safety and releasing all prisoners. According to ABC, Russia, which was not invited to any of the meetings, rejected the initiative as biased.

There was no specific list of delegations attending the meeting, but officials said the event brought together representatives from European, South American, Arab, African and Asian countries. The European Union (EU) delegation included the European Council's top diplomatic adviser Simon Mordue and the European Commission President's chief of staff Bjorn Seibert.

Source