(16 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Burgenstock, Switzerland – 16 June 2024
++STARTS ON SOUNDBITE++
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President:
"The conference was entitled, ‘Path to Peace,’ and rightly so. Because we know that peace in Ukraine will not be achieved in one step, it will be a journey. It was not a peace negotiation because (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is not serious about ending the war. He is insisting on capitulation, he is insisting on ceding Ukrainian territory — even territory that today is not occupied by him. He’s insisting on disarming Ukraine, leaving it vulnerable to future aggression. No country would ever accept these outrageous terms."
++BLACK FRAMES++
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President:
"The European Union has already provided almost 100 billion euros in support to Ukraine and its people. And the G7 illustrated its steadfast determination only two days ago, when we agreed to use the revenues of frozen Russian assets in Europe to fund a $50 billion loan to Ukraine. This is also a clear message that we will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes."
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President:
"And I call on Russia to heed the message of the international community, respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, put an end to imperialist violence and bring back the children. When Russia says that it is ready for peace based on the U.N. charter, then the time will come for Russia to be a part of our efforts to bring the path to peace to its destination."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said on Sunday "we will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes," while calling on Russia to "heed the message of the international community."
Eighty countries jointly called Sunday for the "territorial integrity" of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war, though some key developing nations at a Swiss conference did not join in.
The joint communique capped a two-day conference at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland marked by the absence of Russia, which was not invited, but that many attendees hoped could join in on a roadmap to peace.
"When Russia says that it is ready for peace based on the UN charter, then the time will come for Russia to be a part of our efforts to bring the path to peace to its destination," Von Der Leyen said, speaking from Switzerland.
Von der Leyen said the conference was "rightly" entitled "Path to Peace" because peace won’t be achieved in a single step.
"It was not a peace negotiation because Putin is not serious about ending the war. He is insisting on capitulation. He is insisting on ceding Ukrainian territory — even territory that today is not occupied by him," she said.
"He is insisting on disarming Ukraine, leaving it vulnerable to future aggression. No country would ever accept these outrageous terms," she added.
Analysts say the two-day conference will likely have little concrete impact toward ending the war because the country leading and continuing it, Russia, was not invited — for now.
Russia’s key ally, China, which did not attend, and Brazil have jointly sought to plot alternative routes toward peace.
About 100 delegations, mostly Western countries but also some key developing nations, were on hand for the conference — and experts were on watch to see how and if at all they might line up behind the outcome document.
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