Switzerland Ready to Host Ukraine-Russia Talks, Promises Immunity to Putin

Switzerland has expressed strong readiness to host a peace summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing its diplomatic experience and neutrality. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis confirmed that Switzerland would grant Putin immunity from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite the ICC's 2023 arrest warrant against Putin for war crimes related to the deportation of Ukrainian children. This immunity is tied to Switzerland’s unique diplomatic role and Geneva’s status as the European headquarters of the United Nations. The proposal to hold the talks in Geneva has received support from French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with Italy backing Switzerland as the preferred venue. However, the Kremlin has yet to publicly agree to the summit, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urging cautious preparation. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed to have helped set up the summit, although no official confirmation of Kremlin acceptance exists.