Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba arrived on an unprecedented visit to China, a close partner of Russia, to discuss ways to find a peaceful solution to the war between Kiev and Moscow, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
Despite its close economic, diplomatic and military ties with Moscow, which have strengthened further since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Beijing intends to play the role of mediator in the conflict. China presents itself as a balanced interlocutor to the West and accuses it of "adding fuel to the fire" by supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Dmytro Kuleba's visit, which will last until Friday, is his first visit to China since the beginning of the Russian invasion. It comes after NATO issued sharp criticism of Chinese economic aid to Moscow and a week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky first opened the door to talks with Russia, saying he supported the idea of Moscow attending a future peace summit .
The first such meeting was organized in Switzerland in the middle of last month, and dozens of countries were represented. However, Russia was not invited, and China decided not to participate as it believed there was no chance of progress.
The main topic of discussions during Dmytro Kuleba's visit "will be the search for ways to stop Russian aggression and China's role in achieving a lasting and just peace,", the ministry said.
Today, Chinese diplomatic spokeswoman Mao Ning said that the discussions will focus in particular on "China-Ukraine cooperation and other issues of common interest".
"China remains convinced that a quick ceasefire and the search for a political solution are in the common interest of all countries," she added at a regular media briefing.
Beijing shares Russia's desire to act as a counterweight to American influence and has never condemned the Russian incursion. The Asian giant accuses NATO of ignoring Moscow's security concerns, but also called last year, in a document on the war, to respect the territorial integrity of all countries - and therefore Ukraine, recalls AFP.
Dmytro Kuleba may try to "convince China that it should participate in a second peace summit,", according to Alexander Gabuev, director of the Berlin-based Carnegie Center for Analysis. for Russia and Eurasia.
Beijing may also try to get something in return, he believes. China has set its conditions for participation: according to it, the summit must "allow equal participation of all countries" and "a fair discussion of all peace plans", including the Russian position.