China asked for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in a document on end of the war what offered a break for Moscowbut was quickly rejected by kyiv’s allies as the conflict entered its second year.
Several of 12 points described by China in the document released this Friday, if realized, would offer clear benefits for Russian President Vladimir Putin. This includes a ceasefire, which would freeze Russian troops on Ukrainian soil, as well as a call to immediately end all sanctions not backed by the UN Security Councilwhere Russia has a right of veto.
United States National Security Advisor JakeSullivanin statements to CNNHe rejected the Chinese proposal, saying it should have ended after the first point, which calls for “respect for the sovereignty of all countries”.
“This war could end tomorrow, if Russia stops attacking Ukraine and withdraws its forces,” he said.
Asked about the proposal, the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenbergsaid: “China does not have much credibility” in light of his failure to condemn Putin’s war.
But US and European officials fear the Chinese proposal will find some resonance in the South, which has largely resisted calls to join in on sanctions against Russia.
The Chinese announcement came a day after the country abstained from voting on a resolution of the The United Nations who called for an end to the war. The measure was approved 141-7, with 32 abstentions. The resolution of the HIM it included a request for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, promised to continue to fight until the departure of the Russian troops. Moscow has given no sign of stopping its attacks and continues to claim parts of eastern Ukraine and Crimea as their territory after holding illegal referendums on annexation.
Chinese initiative ‘is nothing Ukraine can accept’said the Latvian President, Egils LevitesIn Bloomberg Television.
Critics have been most muted from Ukraine, which has tried to avoid alienating Beijing since the start of the war.
“Of course, Ukraine would like to see China on its side,” he said. Zhanna Leshchynska, senior diplomat from kyiv to Beijing. “At the moment we see that China does not support Ukraine’s efforts”, but “we hope that they will also urge the Russian Federation to stop the war and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory”.
There was no immediate official comment on the Chinese plan for Russia, which celebrated a public holiday on Friday.
Beijing has repeatedly defended some of Russia’s justifications for going to war, mainly to resist the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organizationwhile insisting that he does not support the invasion itself.
Chinese move is diplomatic boost for Russia, he says Alexander Gabouevprincipal researcher of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Russia can say publicly that it is not against it, thank its Chinese colleagues and that it is ready to come to the negotiating table.”
“Obviously no one would seriously agree with that, but it will give political points to China and make them West seem bloodthirsty and an obstacle to peace,” he said.
A few days before publishing the proposal, the main diplomat of China, Wang Yi, met President Putin in Moscow, calling the ties between the nations “solid as a mountain”. Meanwhile, the Chinese President, Xi Jinpinghas not spoken to Zelensky since the start of the war, although he has spoken to Putin at least four times.
Much of China’s proposal on Friday reiterated long-standing foreign policy positions in relations with the United States on issues such as Taiwan.
“This is not a peace proposal”
“This is not a peace proposal,” said JToledo barleyambassador of the European Union in China. “It’s a position paper.”
Wang Wen Bina spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, responded to the criticism on Friday, saying the proposal showed “China is committed to the peace talks.”
As the war progressed, fears grew that China might take a more active role in aiding Moscow.
The Secretary of State, Anthony Blink, said Thursday that Beijing would likely approve of Chinese companies providing non-lethal, “dual-purpose” support to Russia for its war in Ukraine, comments underscoring growing US concern that Beijing could help arm forces Putin’s Americans. China has denied these accusations, accusing the United States of stoking the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine.
(With information from Bloomberg)
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