World leaders join peace summit in test of Kyiv's diplomatic clout

Absence of Moscow's powerful allies such as China set to blunt potential impact of talks

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LUCERNE, Switzerland - World leaders gathered at a Swiss mountain resort on June 15 to try to build support for Ukraine's peace proposals at a summit skipped by US President Joe Biden, shunned by China and dismissed as a waste of time by Moscow.

More than 90 countries will take part in it, but China's absence, in particular, has dimmed hopes the summit would show Russia as being globally isolated, while recent military reverses have put Kyiv on the back foot.

The war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas has also diverted attention from Ukraine.

The talks are expected to focus on broader concerns triggered by the war, such as food and nuclear security, and freedom of navigation, and a draft of the final declaration identifies Russia as the aggressor in the conflict, sources said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has trumpeted the summit's wide attendance as a success and said agreements from it would be part of the peacemaking process. "Ukraine never wanted this war. It's a criminal and absolutely unprovoked aggression by Russia," he said alongside Swiss President Viola Amherd, who said the conflict had brought "unimaginable suffering" and violated international law.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the event an important step towards progress. "Many questions of peace and security will be discussed, but not the very biggest.

That was always the plan," he said, speaking to Welt TV before travelling to Switzerland.