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China calls for all stakeholders in Ukraine war to be in peace process
MUNICH – China believes all stakeholders in the Russia-Ukraine conflict should participate in the peace talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Feb 14, underscoring Europe’s role in them after a flurry of US messaging on how to end the war.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Mr Wang said “we hope that all parties and stakeholders directly involved participate in the peace talks in due course”.
“China views all efforts dedicated to peace positively, including any consensus reached by the US and Russia on peace talks,” China’s foreign ministry readout quoted Mr Wang as saying.
“As the war is taking place on European soil, it is all the more necessary for Europe to play its part for peace, to jointly address the root causes of the crisis, to find a balanced, effective and sustainable security framework, and to achieve long-term peace and stability in Europe.”
US President Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy by phone on Feb 12 and tasked officials with kickstarting negotiations, adding that a summit with Mr Putin in Saudi Arabia was likely.
He later said he did not think it was practical for Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and that it was unlikely Ukraine will get back all of its land.
The calls blindsided European allies who then warned the US against sealing a deal on Ukraine behind their backs.
Pushing to ensure a seat at the negotiating table, Mr Zelenskiy said on Feb 13 that Ukraine would not accept any bilateral agreement on its fate reached by Moscow and Washington without involving Kyiv.
The same day, Trump said US and Russian officials would meet in Munich on Feb 14 and that Ukraine was also invited. Kyiv responded saying it did not expect to hold talks with Russia in the German city.
But Ukraine’s leader met with US Vice-President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Munich conference, starting talks for a critical minerals deal.
China has long backed dialogue and negotiation as “the only viable solution” to the Ukraine crisis. Last May, China jointly announced with Brazil a six-point peace plan which called for any peace talks to include both warring states.
Mr Zelenskiy dismissed the plan as an initiative serving Moscow’s interests.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that China had floated a proposal to hold a summit between Mr Putin and Mr Trump to help end the Ukraine war.
REUTERS