Switzerland seeks to facilitate Trump-Putin peace talks amidst legal and political hurdles
Switzerland is reportedly organizing a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to end the war, circumventing the arrest warrant. Both the Swiss President and the Foreign Ministry of Switzerland announced in January their attempts to achieve peace through negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
The Swiss government has been regularly informing politicians from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine about its willingness to host discussions on ending the war. The latest suggestion is to arrange a meeting between the 47th President of the U.S., Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Swiss outlet Tages Anzeiger reported, citing a statement from Nicolas Bideau of the Swiss Foreign Ministry, on how Switzerland plans to navigate around the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Putin.
Bideau asserted Switzerland's readiness to facilitate direct talks between President Trump and President Putin. He noted that following the Global Peace Summit, Switzerland had been routinely updating leaders about such readiness. "After the Bürgenstock Summit, Ukraine, Russia, and the United States were regularly informed about our willingness to support diplomatic efforts for peace," Bideau told journalists. He also addressed the challenge posed by Putin’s arrest warrant, noting that exceptions would be made to attain peace. "The Federal Council has a right to make exceptions for peace negotiations," mentioned Bideau's statement on the portal. Details of the negotiations were not disclosed, but it was noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to speak with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter during the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, scheduled for January 20-25, 2025. Keller-Sutter had a phone conversation with Zelensky on January 7 and reiterated readiness to host talks to end the conflict.
There have been no remarks from Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, the U.S. government portals, or the newly elected President Trump regarding a potential Swiss meeting. The Kremlin has also remained silent. Interestingly, after Trump's re-election, he nominated General Keith Kellogg as the special envoy for Ukraine issues. Kellogg proposed a plan for peace, which allegedly involves Ukraine conceding occupied territories and abstaining from joining NATO for 20 years, while pledging to arm Ukraine and intensify sanctions to coax Russia into ending the conflict.