Ukraine’s Zelensky Hopes to Woo Asia, Africa, Latin America to Back His ‘Peace Formula’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 
InternationalIndiaAfricaMOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he wanted to win over countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America that were not yet on board with his “peace formula” plan for ending the conflict with Russia. “My next step will be to draw as many countries as possible to a kick-off summit [on Ukrainian peace]. We want it to succeed … We want different continents to be represented,” he told a news conference, adding that Latin America was of particular importance. In this regard, Zelensky said that a separate Ukraine-Latin America conference or summit would be worthwhile. “It is hard for me to leave the country but I would specifically go to that meeting,” he said. The Ukrainian president added he was also “making efforts” to get African representatives to work on the “peace formula” for Ukraine and would want China and India to lend their support too. Zelensky unveiled his 10-point peace plan in November 2022. Kiev wants Moscow to recognize its territorial claim to Crimea, as well as Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, give energy security guarantees and swap all captured military personnel, among other demands. Russia has repeatedly argued that it is all in favor of peace talks as long as Ukraine takes into consideration the facts on the ground, but Zelensky has ruled out the ceasefire option. The Ukrainian president said on Friday, a year after the start of the Ukrainian conflict, that he would agree for the conflict to end “diplomatically” once Russia implemented all provisions set in his “peace formula.” At the same time, Zelensky argued he did not see peace talks happening anytime soon.
