Talks on Ukraine's peace plan open in Malta
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the first of two days of closed-door talks among national security and policy advisors, which he hopes will drum up support for his 10-point plan to end the war, AP reports .
In a statement on social media afterwards, he said 66 countries had taken part in the talks, proof that his plan "has gradually become global".
It follows similar meetings in Jeddah and Copenhagen this summer, with the Ukrainians hoping to eventually hold a summit at the level of heads of state. "The meeting confirmed the broad interest and increasing support for the key elements of Ukraine's Peace Formula," an EU official said Saturday.
Against the backdrop of the Hamas-Israel war, it also showed "that restoration of just peace is important beyond Ukraine – it is about a global plea for respect of international law".
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova however has dismissed the Malta talks as a "blatantly anti-Russian event". They had "nothing to do with the search for a peaceful resolution", she said on Thursday.
"Obviously such gatherings have absolutely no perspective, they are simply counterproductive."
Participants in Malta included the United States, the EU and Britain, staunch supporters of Kyiv following Russia's February 2022 invasion.
Turkey, which has offered itself as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, was also represented, according to a list seen by AFP before the talks opened. So too were South Africa, Brazil and India – all members of the influential BRICS bloc, which also includes Russia.
South Africa and India have not condemned Russia's invasion, while Brazil has refused to join Western nations in sending arms to Ukraine or imposing sanctions on Moscow.
China, which insists it is neutral and refuses to criticise the invasion, did not attend, despite being present in Jeddah in August, according to the EU official. Organisers were hoping for a joint statement from the Malta summit, after both previous meetings ended without a final declaration.
The Malta talks are also looking at nuclear security, notably the need to ensure the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and how to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure as winter approaches.
