New Delhi: Speaking on the floor of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took aim at the countries using peace efforts to add a Nobel Peace Prize to their political biographies.
“The peace formula has already existed for two years. Maybe somebody wants a Nobel Prize for their political biography for frozen truce instead of real peace, but the only prizes Putin will give you in return are more suffering and disasters,” said the Ukrainian leader while attending the 79th session of the UNGA Wednesday.
Some are attempting to achieve a “lull” to the war, instead of an end to the conflict, he added.
This May, China and Brazil jointly presented a six-point peace plan for an international peace conference with equal participation from Kyiv and Moscow. Zelenskyy referred to this plan as “destructive”, in an interview with a Brazilian media outlet on 12 September.
During his speech at the UNGA, the Ukrainian President also questioned the “true interests” of what he termed the “Chinese-Brazilian duo”.
“When the Chinese Brazilian duo tries to grow into a choir of voices…saying something alternative to a full and just peace, the question arises—’What is their true interest?’,” stated Zelenskyy.
“You will not boost your power at Ukraine’s expense,” he added.
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‘Half-hearted settlement plans’
During his speech, Zelenskyy continued to take digs at peace plans other than Kyiv’s.
“When some propose alternative half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles, it not only ignores the interests and suffering of Ukrainians who are affected by the war the most…but also gives Putin the political space to continue the war and pressure the world to bring more nations under control,” said the Ukrainian President.
This comes after Zelenskyy presented his “victory plan” to US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, who is in the race for US presidential elections. The Ukrainian leader is also expected to meet Trump.
India has not formally presented a peace plan, but has been engaging with both sides to explore the possibility of “serious negotiation”. In June, India was one of 13 countries that did not sign a joint communiqué arising from the Global Peace Summit hosted by Switzerland.
India was the only country to send a ministerial-level delegation from both the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE and Iran) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) consisting of Russia, Pakistan, China, India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
South Africa and the UAE sent envoys while Brazil sent an observer. Russia was not invited to the Switzerland summit.
Zelenskyy is planning a second peace summit to be hosted in a Global South country. Earlier this week, he said India has been invited.
In August, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kyiv, the Ukrainian leader had told Indian journalists that it would not be possible to host a peace summit in a country that has not yet joined the first communique agreed to in Switzerland.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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