Russia absent as world leaders meet at Swiss resort for Ukraine peace talks

China skipped the summit after Russia was excluded from the event on the grounds that it had dismissed Ukraine's summit as 'futile' and showed no interest in participating. With China absent, Western hopes of isolating Russia have diminished. Meanwhile, recent setbacks on the battlefield have put Ukrainian forces at a disadvantage. The Peace Summit is expected to address key issues including energy security, the exchange of captives, the return of deported children, and global food security.