BEIJING: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that his government did not believe Russia was ready for “good faith” negotiations to end the ongoing war, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
Kuleba’s visit to China marks the first by a senior Ukrainian official since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His trip is scheduled to last until Friday.
The talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held in Guangzhou from Tuesday through Wednesday, focused on Ukraine’s efforts to garner international support and China’s role as a neutral mediator in the conflict.
According to statements from Ukraine’s foreign ministry, Kuleba reiterated Kyiv’s steadfast position that negotiations with Russia could proceed once Moscow demonstrates a genuine commitment to engaging in talks “in good faith.” However, he emphasized that such readiness is currently absent on the Russian side.
“Dmytro Kuleba reiterated Ukraine’s consistent position that it is ready to negotiate with the Russian side at a certain stage, when Russia is ready to negotiate in good faith, but stressed that currently there is no such readiness on the Russian side,” the ministry said.
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“I am convinced that a just peace in Ukraine is in China’s strategic interests, and China’s role as a global force for peace is important,” Kuleba was quoted as saying during the discussions.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning indicated China’s support for peace efforts while highlighting the need for conducive conditions and timing for meaningful progress.
China’s foreign ministry had said Kuleba and Wang held talks in the city of Guangzhou, with spokeswoman Mao Ning telling journalists they “exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis”.
“Although the conditions and timing are not yet mature, we support all efforts that contribute to peace and are willing to continue to play a constructive role for a ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks,” Mao Ning stated, addressing journalists after the talks.
“China has always been firmly committed to promoting a political solution to the crisis,” she added.
Kuleba said on arrival in China Tuesday that “we must avoid competition between peace plans” and urged Beijing to “look at relations with our country through the prism of its strategic relations with Europe”.
China has positioned itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, advocating for a political solution and refraining from providing lethal assistance to either Ukraine or Russia, unlike Western nations. Despite accusations from NATO members branding Beijing as a “decisive enabler” of the war, China has maintained its stance as an advocate for peace through diplomatic channels.
The talks between Ukraine and China come amidst ongoing military actions in Ukraine and geopolitical tensions, with Western countries urging broader international engagement to resolve the crisis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a recent peace summit in Switzerland, called on Beijing to play a more active role in developing and supporting peace proposals, stressing the strategic implications for Europe-China relations.
Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, suggested that Ukraine might seek China’s participation in a second peace summit, potentially leveraging China’s economic ties with Russia as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
China’s economic partnership with Russia has come under scrutiny from Western countries, particularly amid accusations of supporting Russia’s military production and maintaining financial support for Moscow during the conflict. The United States and Europe have pledged to impose sanctions on financial institutions facilitating Russia’s war effort, underscoring the broader international ramifications of the Ukraine crisis.
