Ukraine peace summit is a ‘success’, China key to ending war: ambassador to Singapore

Speaking to This Week in Asia in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, Zelenko said: “Of course, it was a [diplomatic] success. The fact that the summit took place is a milestone in the entire peaceful process, finding ways for just, lasting and comprehensive peace for Ukraine.”

The ambassador also stressed that her country “does not and has never seen China as its opponent”, but instead, wants to see Beijing as “its friend”, in response to a question about whether China had a hand in exerting Russian influence in Southeast Asia and if that deterred some regional countries from attending the summit.

Following the summit, China partnered with Brazil to propose an alternative peace process that included the participation of Russia and Ukraine.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue on May 31 to June 2, Zelensky said: “We need the support of Asian countries. It is much needed … We want Asia to know what is going on in Ukraine, Asia to support the end of the war. We want Asian leaders to attend the peace summit.”

He added that he would judge the success of his surprise stop in Singapore on the “presence of representatives from Asia” at the summit in Switzerland. This marked his second visit to Asia since the start of the invasion in 2022.

Only three of Zelensky’s 10-point peace plan – nuclear security, food security and the return of prisoners of war and children abducted from Ukraine – were included in the summit’s final communique.

The Russian embassy in Singapore later slammed Zelensky’s visit to the Shangri-La Dialogue, describing it as a “bizarre” attempt to persuade the Global South to join the summit. The Kremlin has dismissed the summit’s “close to zero” outcome after it was held, saying such peace talks were futile without Russia’s