MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday said it saw no “prospect” for China to mediate the Ukraine conflict and that it had “no other way” than to press on with its offensive in Ukraine.
The Kremlin’s comments came as French President Emmanuel Macron was in China to try to dissuade China from supporting Moscow’s campaign.
“Undoubtedly, China has a very commanding and effective potential for mediation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The Kremlin has rejected the prospect of China mediating the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating that there are no prospects for a political settlement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged China’s potential for mediation but asserted that the situation in Ukraine is too complex for a political resolution.
The comments come as French President Emmanuel Macron is in Beijing, attempting to dissuade China from supporting Russia’s campaign.
Macron reportedly told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that he was counting on him to “bring Russia to its senses,” but Xi has yet to condemn Russia’s offensive. While China has proposed a peace plan for Ukraine, it remains vague, and the United States has dismissed it as potentially allowing Russia to keep seized territories.
Russia’s President Putin meets Ukrainian regions leaders
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin recently met with the leaders of four Ukrainian regions that he claimed to have annexed, despite never fully controlling.
During the televised talks, Putin stated that his goal was to push Ukrainian forces back to a distance where they could not inflict any damage on Russia. The leaders’ discussions mainly focused on topics such as snowfall, gas distribution, and vegetable storage, with little mention of the armed conflict.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has accused Russia of amassing tens of thousands of troops near its border and in Crimea, with concerns of a potential escalation in the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the international community to provide support and sanctions against Russia, with the United States and European Union expressing their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and supported separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 13,000 people and displaced over 1.5 million.
Despite numerous ceasefires and peace agreements, fighting has continued, with recent months seeing an uptick in violence.
