Just one day before the summit’s opening on June 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Kyiv to abandon its NATO aspirations and cede control of the four provinces claimed by Moscow. Kyiv dismissed the proposal as “manipulative,” “absurd,” and akin to surrender, highlighting Putin’s resolve to prolong the conflict and overshadowing the meeting.

Over 90 countries and international organizations are taking part in the discussions, which are being held at a mountain resort in central Switzerland. Expected attendees include U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as the leaders of France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Britain, and Japan. India, Turkey, and Hungary, which have more amicable ties with Russia, are also anticipated to participate. Switzerland agreed to host the summit at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, with the aim of laying the groundwork for a potential peace process involving Russia.

Ahead of the meeting, leaders of the G7 major industrial nations revealed a $50 billion loan package for Kyiv, which will utilize interest and income from the more than $260 billion in frozen Russian assets. President Joe Biden and Zelenskiy recently signed a security agreement that commits the United States to providing ongoing training for Ukraine’s armed forces for the next decade. Despite Zelenskiy’s requests, Biden will not be present at the summit.

However, he has given approval for the delivery of another Patriot missile system to Ukraine. The White House has also relaxed restrictions that previously prevented Ukraine from using American weapons to target Russia, allowing strikes into Russia solely for the purpose of defending Kharkiv. Analysts believe that this change has played a role in Ukraine’s recent success in stopping the Russian offensive in the region.