Jeddah: Hope For Peace In Ukraine?

Relevance: GS 2 - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

(Source: The Hindu, 08/03/23)

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Why in the news?

Saudi Arabia will host peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine war in Jeddah on August 5-6. Ukraine seeks support for its 10-point peace plan, and top officials from around 30 countries, including the U.S., India, Brazil, and several European nations, have been invited. Russia is not part of the invited countries.

What is the aim of the summit?

• The summit aims to find a way to start negotiations over Russia's war on Ukraine.
• It aims to endorse Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's 10-point plan.
• President Zelenskyy's 10-point plan involves
  • Russian withdrawal,
  • restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity as per its 1991 borders post the breakdown of the Soviet Union and
  • reaffirming it according to the UN Charter,
  • prosecuting war crimes committed by Russia

Previous mediation talks

• Initial Peace Talks: At the beginning of the conflict, both Ukraine and Russia engaged in talks for temporary ceasefires to create humanitarian corridors.
• Direct negotiations on peace took place in Belarus and Turkey in May last year, where the possibility of Ukraine never seeking NATO membership was discussed.
• However, talks broke down as evidence of war atrocities in Ukraine and Russian attacks on civilians increased. The International Criminal Court at the Hague issued an arrest warrant against Mr Putin.
• China’s 12-Point Plan: The plan emphasized the territorial integrity of states and the UN Charter, condemned using of nuclear power in wars, and called for the ceasing of hostilities and resumption of talks.
• The plan was seen as favoring Russia and was also seen as an attempt to position itself as a responsible power in the Global South and the UN security council.
• Africa’s 10-point proposal: In June, leaders from seven African countries, led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, presented a 10-point proposal focused on recognizing both countries' sovereignty, releasing prisoners, ensuring unimpeded foodgrain exports, de-escalating fighting, and initiating peace negotiations promptly.
• The African Development Bank attributes a shortage of approximately 30 million tonnes of grain in Africa directly to the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
• The plan was also seen as an attempt at peace by African countries who have not outrightly condemned Russia and abstained from UN resolutions against it.
• Brazil’s Peace Club: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva proposed the idea of leading a "peace club" comprising countries not involved in the conflict and militarily non-aligned to facilitate discussions between Russia and Ukraine.
• This initiative was seen as an effort to elevate Brazil's global standing following the divisive tenure of Jair Bolsonaro.
• His comments drew criticism from Ukraine and the West for implying shared responsibility for the conflict and accusing the West of prolonging it by arming Kyiv.

Challenges

• Recently, Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain initiative brokered by Turkey and the UN.
• No peace plan has been accepted by both parties so far. Ukraine and Russia have different visions of peace.
• West led by the United States is supporting Ukraine militarily.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and analysts doubt the possibility of effective peace talks in the Ukraine war due to both sides' belief in victory.

How can India play an important role in resolving the conflict?

• Leveraging International Forums: India can use its presence on global platforms like the G-20 and BRICS to bring attention to the Ukraine conflict and advocate for peaceful negotiations. It can encourage other nations to support a peaceful resolution.
• India’s Experience Conflict Resolution: India has experience in dealing with its own regional conflicts and has used diplomacy and dialogue to address them. India has played a constructive role in international peacekeeping efforts, particularly through its participation in United Nations missions.
• It has a long history of contributing troops to UN peacekeeping missions and has played a significant role in maintaining peace and security in conflict-affected regions around the world.

Conclusion

• Upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia are being seen as a constructive way of promoting third-party mediation by players apart from the West, and of bringing to the table both the West and the non-aligned countries of the Global South, which have refused to isolate Russia.

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FAQs

MCQ

Question: Consider the following countries (UPSC-2023)

1. Bulgaria
2. Czech Republic
3. Hungary
4. Latvia
5. Lithuania
6. Romania

How many of the above countries share a land border with Ukraine?

(a) Only two

(b) Only three

(c) Only four

(d) Only five