Putin calls Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland a "panopticon"

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has called the Peace Summit in Switzerland – to which Russia has not been invited – a "panopticon".

Source: Putin at a meeting with self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko on 11 April, as reported by Russian news agency Interfax

Quote from Putin: "As you know, the idea of holding some conference in Switzerland is being promoted now, but we are not invited; moreover, they believe there is nothing for us to do there, and at the same time, they say that nothing can be resolved without us. And since we are not going, they say that we are refusing to negotiate; it is some kind of panopticon."

For reference: A panopticon is a design for a high-security prison building with a control system that allows a single warden to observe all the prisoners at once without being noticed.

Details: Putin also claimed that he is in favour of negotiations, "but not in the format of imposing schemes that have nothing to do with reality".

The Russian leader also noted that Russia does not aim to "put everything in a difficult position". Lukashenko also spoke about the Summit.

Quote from Lukashenko: "If they want to talk about peace in Ukraine (they are calling it a 'peace conference') in Switzerland without us, let them. Our position is that they can only agree there on how to escalate the conflict. How can there be a peace process without Russia? There can be no peace process."

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