Pakistan is unlikely to attend the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland as the South Asian country carefully treads its way on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Express Tribune reported.

Despite being extended an invitation for the first time to such an international conference on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, sources told the news outlet that Pakistan is likely to skip the summit as part of its efforts to maintain “neutrality” on the issue.

The two-day summit, scheduled for June 15-16, will bring together various countries from the so-called Global South. However, Russia, a main party to the conflict, has not been invited to the event, raising questions about the credibility of the process.

While quoting a source, the newspaper reported that it might not be beneficial for Pakistan to attend the conference as Russia was not invited to it. The source added that a final decision on Pakistan’s participation has yet to be made.

China, another key player, has already decided to stay away from the summit, with officials in Beijing questioning the credibility of the process.

Observers believe that while Pakistan usually takes cues from China on such international and regional issues, Western countries may be quietly persuading Islamabad to attend the conference.

The invitation to the Ukraine Peace Summit comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s diplomatic maneuvers during the early stages of the Russian invasion. In February 2022, then-Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Moscow, a visit that raised eyebrows, particularly in the West.

Imran Khan later cited the Moscow trip as one of the main reasons behind his ouster through a vote of no confidence, claiming that the US was unhappy with his move and conspired against his government. However, the US has denied the allegations, and opposition parties dismissed the involvement of any foreign hand.