Fourth Ukraine peace plan conference opens in Davos

Almost two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kiev government was meeting representatives from some 80 countries in the Swiss resort of Davos on Sunday to discuss the country's future.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry said representatives from around 80 countries had confirmed their participation, far more than at the three previous conferences last year in Denmark, Saudi Arabia and Malta.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's so-called "Peace Formula" takes centre stage at the event, held ahead of the start of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Monday.
Zelensky's 10-point plan, first presented in late 2022, foresees the withdrawal of all Russian forces from the occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula, the prosecution of Russian war crimes, reparations and security guarantees.
In addition Russian leaders would be made to account for their roles in the invasion.
Russia rejects the plan and was not invited to previous meetings.
Ukraine is seeking broad recognition for the plan in order to take the wind out of the sails of countries that want to pressure it into making concessions to Russia.
The most recent of these meetings took place in Malta in October.
"Our determination to protect our freedoms and to thwart [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's criminal attempt to build his new empire on our land remains resolute," Andrii Yermak, head of the Presidential Office in Kiev, wrote in a guest article in the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
Yermak is chairing the conference together with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
"Ukraine will not be intimidated by Russia's constant bombardment or Putin's pompous speeches," Yermak wrote.
The peace formula is not a wish list, but a detailed proposal. "The active participation of many third countries will give it enormous legitimacy," he wrote.
The WEF is providing logistical support for the Ukraine conference.
The Ukrainian president is not expected to attend the fourth edition of the talks, though he will be in town for the WEF - considered one of the most important meeting places for top politicians, leading executives and scientists tackling global challenges - and is scheduled to give a speech on Tuesday.
Zelensky has been busy rallying support for his country amid increasing signs of war fatigue in one of Kiev's main backers, the United States, as well as in some quarters of Europe.
He rejected the idea of a ceasefire as recently as Thursday, saying this would only benefit Moscow by giving the Kremlin time to replenish its weapon stocks.
February 24 will mark two years since Putin ordered the invasion of neighbouring Ukraine by land, sea and air.