Ukraine Peace Conference Simulation

The Russian-Ukrainian war, ongoing since 2014, turned into a brutal all-out war in February 2022 and still has no end in sight. With a decade of peace negotiations, in the form of the Minsk agreements, already behind us, new avenues for a settlement to the war have to be found.

In June 2024, Switzerland will organise a peace conference that “aims to establish a forum for a high-level dialogue on ways to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine in accordance with international law and the UN Charter” (The Federal Swiss Council 2024).

During this workshop, fellows will be divided into groups to step into the role of Ukrainian, EU Member States, NATO Members, UK and US negotiators. Fellows will be given 15-20 min of preparation within their group to discuss their positions, where they will map out possible answers to the following questions:

1. What are the main pathways to peace? Will it be through military means or diplomatic and economic coercion of Russia to come to the negotiation table?

2. What could be an acceptable and durable peace between Russia and Ukraine? What role will the question of EU/NATO integration, reparations and prosecution of war criminals play?

3. How can Ukraine’s security be reliably guaranteed by the EU, NATO, and the US? Is there any other options to guarantee Ukraine’s security?

This simulation aims to immerse participants in the perspectives of the states they represent, understand their national priorities, values, and interests, and subsequently formulate negotiation positions. It’s an intellectual exercise, not a test of knowledge, aiming to explore pathways to peace and envision an acceptable settlement that promotes stability in the region. That is why we will urge participants to join a group of countries/a country, participants are less familiar with.