One thematic throughout the just-concluded Schiller Institute international conference, was the necessity of diplomacy and dialogue in world affairs. This was even personified in the proceedings by the participation of
veteran diplomats, including U.S. Ambassador Jack Matlock, and current world leader Dr. Naledi Pandor, former South African Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The world stands in urgent need of the wisdom of exchange among equals, not malice and belligerence, in particular in the case of stopping the horrors in Gaza, and for moving to resolve the deadly Ukraine conflict.
Yesterday, Russia initiated the invitation for a second round of direct talks with Ukraine to be held on June 2, since the first session took place on May 16. The proposed venue is Istanbul. Russian spokesmen said they have a
written document prepared, giving terms for negotiations toward a longterm settlement, and will provide the document June 2 to the Ukrainian delegation. As of this writing, there has been no official response from Kiev
to agree to the Istanbul meeting. Instead, acting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ridiculed Moscow for not making public its terms now. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has appealed for Kiev to attend
June 2.
Yesterday, President Trump made a point to a reporter, when asked if the U.S. will add more sanctions against Russia, that he does not want to do this, when there is a chance of action toward negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
But instead of support toward talks to stop warfare—even if weak and guarded—a spectacular show of deranged NATO and European sentiment against Ukraine negotiations was staged this afternoon in New York, at a
special session of the UN Security Council. For 2.5 hours, a list of speakers lined up to repetitively assert a litany of points against ending the Ukraine conflict. They said that the issue was “Russia’s aggression,” that Russian
President Vladimir Putin snubbed Ukraine acting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by not showing up in Türkiye for the May 16 talks, so why should the talks continue now, and that if Russia were serious, it would release its
terms of negotiations in advance of any meeting, and in any case, why will Russia not agree to an immediate, total ceasefire.
The UN session was packed with guest speakers, in addition to UNSC member nations France, the U.K., and others. They included the European Commission; Estonia, speaking for the three Baltic nations; Iceland,
speaking for the five Nordic countries; five NATO nations; Ukraine, and others.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia denounced the whole spectacle as the “European attempt to thwart the peace process around Ukraine.” He said that “London, Paris and Berlin are in a propaganda bubble” against Russia. Ambassador Nebenzia said that at the UN Security Council session on May 30, Russia will respond with specifics on the attacks made against it. The UNSC schedule has it listed in the morning as “Threats to International Peace and Security.”
In Berlin yesterday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukraine’s acting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met, to discuss fantasy plans for joint production of long-range weapons against Russia. Furthermore, active
threats are being made against Russia’s peace talks delegation leader Vladimir Medinsky and his family. Medinsky has been on the deadly Myrotvorets hit list of Ukraine, connected to the Center for Countering
Disinformation, associated with NATO.
In Gaza today, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strike targeted a residence in the refugee camp in central Gaza, killing 23 people outright, as the genocide goes on. A powerful report on the atrocities was provided yesterday to the UN Security Council by U.S. physician Dr. Feroze Sidhwa. Calling it a “manmade catastrophe,” he said that the “collective conscience of the world is collapsing,” by allowing this to continue.
The latest update is that the Trump-Witkoff proposal for a ceasefire and hostage-release agreement has been submitted to Israel and Hamas. It is reported that acting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to it
and Hamas has it under consideration. This is the time to join in the mobilization for powerful diplomacy and
dialogue with the International Peace Coalition. Its next regular meeting is Friday, May 30.
