Ukraine’s foreign minister arrived in China on Tuesday (23) for talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to achieve a “just peace” in the war with Russia and also to discuss bilateral relations, he said.
Dmytro Kuleba’s visit is the first by a senior Ukrainian official since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, which China, the world’s second-largest economy, has not publicly condemned.
Kuleba said he would hold “extensive, detailed and substantive negotiations” with his Chinese counterpart, but did not say when the talks would take place. He previously said his trip would continue until Thursday (25).
“We must avoid competing peace plans. It is very important that Kiev and Beijing conduct direct dialogue,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram, announcing his arrival in China.
Several peace initiatives have emerged in recent months ahead of the US election in November, which could see the return to the White House of former President Donald Trump, who threatened to cut off aid flows to Ukraine. The United States, under President Joe Biden, has been Ukraine’s biggest supporter.
Kiev is pushing to hold a second international summit later this year to promote its peace vision, after an initial gathering in Switzerland in June attracted dozens of delegations from around the world but not from Russia or China.
Ukraine has said it would like its second summit to be hosted by a country from the “Global South” and for Russia to be able to participate. Kiev has also said it would like to see China play a more active role in ending the war.
China and Brazil published a six-point joint peace proposal in May, saying they supported holding an international peace conference that both sides in the war would recognize.
Kuleba said his trip to China, the first by a Ukrainian foreign minister since 2012, was aimed at developing contacts between leaders of the two countries.
China declared an “unrestricted” partnership with Russia in 2022, days before the invasion, and has helped Russia keep its economy afloat. China says its ties with Russia are built on non-alliance and do not target third parties.
Source: CNN Brasil
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