More than 80 countries sign Ukraine peace communique

Key regional powers including Brazil, India, South Africa and Saudi Arabia have failed to sign up to a joint communique issued at the end of a Ukraine peace conference in which more than 80 countries and international organisations endorsed its territorial integrity in the face of Russia's invasion.

- Jennifer Rankin

Speaking at the end of the two-day summit in Switzerland, Ukraine's president, Volodymir Zelenskiy, welcomed the "first steps toward peace" but acknowledged that not all attenders had come onboard. "Unfortunately there are people who are still balancing," he said, adding that Russia was trying to divide the world.

He said the communique remained "open for accession by everyone who respects the UN Charter".

About 100 countries took part in the conference in the resort of Bürgenstock, but Russia was not invited and China snubbed the event.

Amid modest expectations ahead of the event, western diplomats argued that its significance lay partly in its participants. Attenders were mostly from Europe, the US and other western allies, but included countries from Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Zelenskiy said parties had agreed to work in special groups on "action plans for peace", which he said would open the way to a second summit.