Ukrainian FM seeks common ground with China on peace and bilateral relations

He will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, “focusing on one issue - peace in Ukraine.”

“There will be extensive, detailed negotiations. We will talk, we will look for common ground. We need to avoid competition between peace plans. We need to move towards a just and sustainable peace. China can play an important role in this,” he wrote, noting that the bilateral relations between the countries were also on the agenda.

“I am convinced that after Ukraine has started negotiations to join the European Union, China should view its relations with our country through the prism of its strategic relations with Europe.”

On July 22, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced Kuleba’s visit to China on July 23-25 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The main topic of the talks will be the search for ways to end the war and China’s possible participation in achieving a “sustainable and just peace” in Ukraine.

China’s position on Russia’s war against Ukraine

The Chinese Foreign Ministry published a document on the settlement of the war in Ukraine in February 2023. Beijing called for an end to hostilities and to “resume direct dialogue” between Ukraine and Russia as soon as possible. At the same time, China did not mention the Russian troops withdrawal from Ukraine.

China’s special representative Li Hui met in Moscow with representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry on March 2, declaring afterwards that the war in Ukraine should be “resolved through negotiations.”

The settlement of the war in Ukraine is impossible without taking into account Russian interests, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and Li Hui stated.

China is ready to work on creating new driving forces for cooperation and strengthening friendship with Russia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on March 7.

China is providing or preparing to provide Russia with lethal weapons to use in the war against Ukraine, British Defense Minister Grant Shapps accused China on May 22.

The United States does not currently have its own information on this matter, the White House spokesperson, Jake Sullivan, said at the same time.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in June that China has economic and political influence on Russia, so the country “could help” Ukraine.

After the NATO summit in Washington in July, the final declaration called China a “decisive enabler” contributing to Russia’s war effort against Ukraine. China’s mission to the EU said that such allegations were slanderous and urged the Alliance to stay out of Asia.