Sestry.eu | Peace summit in Switzerland: expectations and reality

Ninety countries and organizations confirmed their participation in the Peace Summit focusing on the war against Ukraine in Switzerland. The United States will be represented by Vice President Kamala Harris, China refused to participate and Russia was not invited. What are the key goals of the summit? Why did China decide not to come? Researcher at EUROPEUM Institute Tereza Novotná commented for Ukrainian-Polish online outlet Sestry.eu.

China wants to return to dividing the world into two camps, as it did during the Cold War. Beijing's actions, including its support for Russia, are in line with this logic: from a political point of view, it is beneficial for Beijing that Moscow is not only its ally, but also a weaker ally. There is also an economic element, because the situation of the Chinese economy is not as good as Chinese leaders would like. The possibility of having a weaker, more dependent partner is therefore beneficial for China. At the same time, recent months have highlighted the problems between Beijing and Brussels.

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Tereza Novotná
Senior Associate Research Fellow

Expertise: EU foreign policy, North and South Korea and NE Asia; European External Action Service, EU Delegations; transatlantic relations and trade; EU enlargement and EU institutions; Germany (foreign and domestic politics, particularly in the Eastern parts of Germany).