Tuesday, August 19, 2025 – 21:14
An aerial picture taken by drone shows the Mont-Blanc Bridge over the Geneva Lake, during the Swiss state of emergency due to the coronavirus COVID-19, in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, April 24, 2020. (KEYSTONE/Salvatore Di Nolfi)
The idea of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is increasingly associated in Geneva.
The proposal was initially advanced by French President Emmanuel Macron, who, after his visit to Washington, said that “a neutral country, like Switzerland, in particular Geneva, would be appropriate land for discussions”.
The Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, confirmed today that the country is ready to assume the organization, by stressing the long role of Switzerland as a neutral mediator and the status of Geneva as the European seat of the United Nations, reports Albinfo.ch.
However, the main difficulty remains the international arrest warrant targeting Putin, which, according to Rome’s status, obliges Switzerland to arrest it if it enters its territory. Cassis suggested that a solution could be found via the granting of temporary immunity so as not to hinder a possible peace process.
If the summit materializes, it would constitute an important step in diplomatic efforts and would put Switzerland at the heart of international diplomacy.
