Switzerland in the race for Ukraine peace talks

The Kremlin invites you to the security conference. Also present: Gabriel Lüchinger, security advisor of the Federal Council – as the only representative from Western Europe. The trip is part of Switzerland’s diplomatic efforts around Ukraine. The Federal President is directly involved.

The broadcasting party (EDA) confirms the research on Wednesday afternoon: «Ambassador Gabriel Lüchinger, head of the International Security Department of the EDA, has received an invitation to the conference from May 27th to 29th in Moscow.» What the EDA does not write: Lüchinger should be one of very few, if not the only representative from Western Europe. In any case, nobody is going from the EU, it says in Brussels.

It is a meeting of high -ranking security advisors that takes place for the thirteenth this year. But this time the Russian regime around Vladimir Putin makes a big deal of it: 150 nations are invited, plus international organizations. Well over a hundred would have accepted the invitation-including the BRICS countries and numerous governments from Asia and Africa.

On Wednesday, the Russian agency Ria Novosti also spread the report that Moscow also invited a “series of unfriendly countries”. These would have shown interest in participation despite their openly anti -Russian course. Only the USA was mentioned. It is unclear whether the United States will accept the invitation. There were no reliable information on Wednesday evening.

Trump says goodbye as an intermediary

The journey of the Federal Council’s Supreme Security Advisor to Moscow comes at a explosive time. The EU has just issued new sanctions against the government of Vladimir Putin.

And on Tuesday, after a long phone call to Putin, US President Donald Trump made it clear that he had lost interest in conveying between Moscow and Kiev.

What is the official Switzerland hoped for from Lüchinger’s mission? In his statement, the EDA writes: « Ambassador Lüchinger will use the conference for talks with representatives of the Russian government. » And also with certain representatives of foreign delegations from the global south that would travel numerous. Switzerland maintains the dialogue with all parties: « It is part of the offer of good services to speak to both Russia and Ukraine. »

The reference to the good services makes you listening. Because the signs are condensed that the federal government is more involved in peace efforts for Ukraine. In his statement on platform X for the phone call with Donald Trump, Selenski himself brought the Confederation into play. Ukraine is ready for direct negotiations in every format that brings the results: « Turkey, the Vatican, Switzerland – we are considering all possible places. »

The EDA writes that Selenski’s proposal was noted. And the broadcasting party also confirms that Switzerland is still ready to offer its good services to support « a real peace process »: « We are in contact with all parties involved at various levels. »

Keller-Sutter speaks to Selenski and US Foreign Minister in Rome

Obviously, this is also the case at the highest level. Already on the occasion of the meeting of the European political community in Albania’s capital Tirana, Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter met the Ukrainian President Wolodimir Selenski on Friday.

Afterwards, Keller-Sutter explained to the media that Switzerland had a special role because of its peace policy commitment to Ukraine. « Ukraine also asked for Switzerland to take over a protective power mandate to Russia ». Although this has not yet come about, « we have a trust as possible intermediaries, » said Keller-Sutter.

Just two days later, when the new Pope in Rome was inaugurated, Keller-Sutter had the next conversation with Selenski, it took over half an hour. She spread a picture of the meeting on X and wrote: « Switzerland is ready to bring in its good services. »

She should also have told the US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, with whom she also briefly spoke on St. Peter’s Square on the occasion of the Pope’s introduction. As with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. A picture of the papal ceremony shows how well positioned basement-sutter was: it shows the Selenski couple, flanked by Ursula von der Leyen and Federal President Keller-Sutter.

In view of the many high -ranking meetings of the past few days, it cannot be assumed that the mission of security advisor Lüchinger to Moscow is a Swiss solo run. Switzerland is in position for possible peace negotiations.