Despite Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation for all ASEAN nations to participate in an upcoming peace summit, Senate President Hun Sen has reiterated Cambodia’s position that it will not attend if all parties to the conflict, especially Russia, are not present.

Hun Sen stated that Cambodia will not attend the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland because it cannot succeed without Russia being present as an invited participant. His remarks follow a foreign media report on Southeast Asian countries attending the summit, which blamed China for Cambodia’s decision not to participate.

“Cambodia’s decision not to attend the peace summit is Cambodia’s right, as Cambodia can see it will be unsuccessful. Whether other countries join or not is their right to decide,” Hun Sen posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

“Please do not try to blame China when Cambodia does not participate in the peace summit and please stop linking Cambodia to geopolitical games against China,” he wrote.

Hun Sen noted that in a video meeting with Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of Ukraine’s Parliament, he informed him that Cambodia was considering Ukraine’s peace plan but emphasized that the summit would not be successful unless all relevant parties, especially Russia, were invited. He also communicated this to the United States Central Intelligence Agency director and the United States Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III.

“Does China advise me to speak like this or does Cambodia have the right to speak?” he said, emphasizing Cambodia's independence. He also mentioned his long-standing relationship with Chinese leaders, asserting that they have never influenced Cambodia's decisions.