BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said that world powers should support Russia and Ukraine to resume direct negotiations to end the ongoing conflict. Xi said this during a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban who is on a visit to Beijing dubbed as “peace mission” by the European leader.
Orban’s visit to China comes a day before NATO is due to hold a crucial summit to mark its 75th anniversary, with setbacks in Ukraine set to dominate discussions, and follows surprise visits by the Hungarian premier to Russia and Ukraine in the past week.
Xi Jinping, speaking to Orban, underscored the role of major global powers in creating conducive conditions for dialogue and negotiation between Moscow and Kyiv. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as advocating for positive engagement from all sides to achieve a ceasefire and move towards a political resolution swiftly.
“The international community should create conditions and provide assistance for the two sides to resume direct dialogue and negotiations,” Xi Jinping said during the meeting, as quoted by CCTV. He stressed that it is in the collective interest to prevent further escalation of the conflict and prioritize diplomatic efforts.
“The current focus is to adhere to the principles of ‘no spillover of the battlefield, no escalation of the war, and no fueling of the flames by all parties’ to de-escalate tensions as soon as possible,” Xi Jinping said.
Following their talks, Viktor Orban expressed on social media platform X that China plays a pivotal role in shaping peace conditions in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. “This is why I came to meet with President Xi in Beijing, just two months after his official visit to Budapest,” Orban stated.
Orban’s visit to China follows recent trips to Russia and Ukraine, where he engaged in talks about the conflict, drawing criticism from Kyiv and the European Union. During his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Orban discussed potential paths to peace, including conditions Ukraine must meet for negotiations to advance.
Orban’s diplomatic efforts come at a sensitive time as Hungary holds the European Union’s rotating presidency and faces scrutiny over its bilateral engagements with Russia amid EU sanctions. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, clarified that Orban’s visit to Moscow was not mandated by the EU Council and remained a bilateral affair.
China has positioned itself as a neutral party in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, refraining from providing military assistance to either side, unlike Western nations. However, Beijing has been pivotal in economic support to Russia, enhancing trade ties significantly since the outbreak of hostilities.
Orban was warmly received in Beijing by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, according to a photo the nationalist leader posted on X.
