After Bürgenstock: the diplomacy behind 19 June 2024

What had the days before 19 June 2024 actually changed for Ukraine's security? Looking back, the picture was one of intensive diplomacy and money, set against continued fighting and a public rejection of Moscow's terms.

The Swiss summit

The two-day Global Peace Summit, dedicated to discussion of Ukraine's Peace Formula, ended on 16 June 2024 at the Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland. The conference was hosted by the Swiss president, Viola Amherd, and followed four earlier international meetings. Representatives from 92 nations and eight international organisations attended, while Russia did not take part.

Moscow's offer and Kyiv's answer

On 14 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready for a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew from territories Russia claimed and abandoned its path to NATO membership. Ukraine rejected the offer.

Money for the war effort

Financing was a major thread. On 13 June, leaders at the G7 summit agreed to loan Ukraine US$50 billion, using interest from Russia's frozen central bank assets as collateral. On 15 June, the United States announced a $1.5 billion aid package focused mainly on Ukraine's energy industry and humanitarian assistance. A day later, Norway said it would give Ukraine 1.1 billion kroner (US$103 million) to repair energy infrastructure and help secure electricity supply before winter.

Sanctions friction in Europe

Not every measure advanced. On 14 June, Germany vetoed a European Union sanctions package that would have barred member states from re-exporting Russian liquefied natural gas from EU ports and stopped EU companies selling sanctioned products to Russia.

Fighting and signals elsewhere

On the front line, Russia claimed on 16 June that it had captured the village of Zahirne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Further afield, on 13 June a Russian warship and a nuclear-powered submarine carried out drills in the Caribbean Sea simulating a missile strike on enemy ships, after passing near the coast of Florida on the way to Havana, Cuba.

Inside Ukraine, hundreds of LGBTQ+ members of the Armed Forces and supporters marched in central Kyiv on 16 June, demanding legal reforms for more same-sex partnership rights. They did so despite opposition from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and counter-protesters.

Where things stood

By 19 June 2024, then, Ukraine had secured pledges of funding and a large diplomatic gathering, while Russia had set out terms Kyiv refused and continued to claim ground. The summit's platform, Ukraine's Peace Formula, was Kyiv's proposal for a just conclusion to the war.