Dmytro Kuleba visits China to discuss ending Russia’s invasion and sustainable peace efforts.
Ukraine’s foreign minister will head to China on Tuesday for two days of talks in a bid to persuade Beijing to reduce its support for Russia and back Kiev’s push for a “sustainable” peace.
The main topic of discussion on Dmytro Kuleba’s trip, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, will be “the search for ways to stop Russian aggression and the possible role of China in achieving a sustainable and fair peace”.
A close political and economic ally of Moscow, Beijing denies supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, China also did not condemn the war and refused to participate in international peace conferences led by Ukraine.
Beijing confirmed planned talks with the Ukrainian official. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Kuleba’s visit was initiated by China’s foreign minister.
Last year, Beijing released a document calling for a “political solution” to the conflict. However, Ukraine rejected the proposal and Western countries warned that the suggested solution could allow Russia to retain much of the territory it gained in Ukraine.
During a visit to Beijing in May, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled his approval of China’s plan, calling it a “genuine desire” to end the war.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted a peace summit in Switzerland to outline his vision for lasting peace. The summit attracted around 100 delegations from various nations and international bodies, although Russia was not invited.
Beijing refused to attend in protest, prompting an accusation from Zelenskyy that China was collaborating with Russia to undermine the event.
China said “all efforts” to support peace measures should be recognized.
Kiev and Moscow have stepped up deadly cross-border missile and drone attacks in recent months, with both sides mainly targeting energy infrastructure.
Russia makes almost daily announcements about the interception of Ukrainian drones, which Kiev says are a response to Russian attacks targeting military and civilian targets since Moscow launched its special military operation in February 2022.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
