The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recently saw a meeting hosted by China and Brazil on the sidelines, aiming to garner support for their peace plan for the war in Ukraine. This conflict, sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has sent shockwaves through global relations and economies. The escalating violence between Russia and Ukraine has prompted the emergence of multiple peace plans in an attempt to bring an end to the conflict. Ukraine, however, has been firm in its insistence that only its own peace plan is acceptable. Various countries, including China, Brazil, and Switzerland, have proposed their own plans, but Ukraine remains steadfast in supporting its own approach to peace.
China and Brazil’s peace plan, first introduced in May, calls for Russia and Ukraine to halt further battlefield expansion, resume direct dialogue, and provide more humanitarian assistance to affected regions. They advocate for hosting an international peace conference attended by both Russia and Ukraine, among other measures. Switzerland has expressed support for this plan, but Ukraine has criticized the endorsement, asserting that only their plan, proposed by President Zelenskyy, can lead to just and sustainable peace. Zelenskyy has emphasized the need to force Russia into peace negotiations and has rejected any other proposals.
President Zelenskyy’s peace plan includes measures to protect Ukraine’s infrastructure, release prisoners of war, restore territorial integrity, and establish a special tribunal for war crimes investigation. In contrast, Russia’s plan, put forth by President Putin in June, demands Ukraine’s withdrawal from occupied territories and renunciation of NATO aspirations. This plan has been met with criticism from Ukraine and the US, with Zelenskyy likening Putin’s messages to Hitler’s ultimatums. African leaders have also proposed a peace plan that recognizes the sovereignty of Russia and Ukraine, promotes unhindered grain exports, and advocates for de-escalation of fighting, though this proposal has not gained traction with the warring parties.
India, which has engaged in diplomatic efforts towards peace in Ukraine, has discussed implementing Zelenskyy’s peace formula with the Ukrainian president. While Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has emphasized the need for negotiations as the way forward, India has refrained from proposing its own peace plan. Despite the growing relations between India and Ukraine, there remain differences over the approach to resolving the conflict. Ukraine, for its part, insists on enacting its own plan to safeguard its sovereignty and seek Western security guarantees for the unoccupied part of the country. As the conflict continues to unfold, the battle over competing peace plans persists, highlighting the complexities of finding a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
