Countries sent national security advisers to the Ukraine Peace Forum, the third round of talks based on the country’s proposed 10-point settlement for the war, called the Peace Formula, which calls for a complete withdrawal of Russian forces, an end of hostilities and reparations. Russia was not invited to the forum, reflecting the lack of appetite from Moscow or Kyiv for peace talks — the idea is anathema to Ukraine while Russian forces occupy part of its territory. Even as Ukraine battles to regain territory on the backfield, it is also pursuing an international consensus around its cause, and the forum provided an opportunity to advance its diplomatic position. It is a “fundamentally important first goal” to rally international support, Pavlo Klimkin, a former Ukrainian foreign minister, said in an interview from the talks, which are being held behind closed doors. Another goal, he said, is “to prevent possible sliding toward Russia.”President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in an overnight speech that 66 countries had attended the forum, which Malta’s foreign ministry said it had organized at Ukraine’s request.

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Persons: Pavlo Klimkin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelesnky, Maria Zakharova Organizations: Ukraine Peace, ”, European Union, Hamas Locations: Malta, Ukraine, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Ukrainian, United States, Britain, India, Brazil, South Africa, Gaza, Israel