Islamabad reportedly wants to maintain its neutrality in the conflict
Pakistan will likely not attend a Ukraine peace conference hosted by Switzerland in mid-June, as it seeks to maintain its “neutrality” in the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, according to national media.
The summit is scheduled for June 15-16 at the Burgenstock Resort near Lucerne. More than 160 countries have been invited, including members of the G7, G20, BRICS, and the EU. Russia, however, has not been asked to attend.
According to an unnamed diplomatic source cited by Pakistan Today on Monday, Russia’s absence from the gathering, along with diplomatic pressure applied by the West, have put Islamabad in a delicate position, leaving its attendance uncertain.
The report indicated that it’s the first time Pakistan has been invited to an international conference of that kind.
At a weekly briefing last week, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that Pakistan had received an invitation to attend the summit, saying it was under consideration.
China announced last week that it would not attend the conference, as its conditions for participation had not been met. Beijing has stressed that it will contribute to such talks only if Russia and Ukraine are both present.
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