Zelensky wants China to join Ukraine peace talks, cites ‘its influence on Russia’

CNN
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants to work with countries like China with “influence over Russia” as his country faces a new offensive from Moscow, urging Beijing to join peace talks next month.

Zelensky said Chinese leader Xi Jinping assured him in a phone call that Beijing supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity – although he did not say when the exchange took place.

He was speaking in an interview with the AFP news agency broadcast on Friday, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to China, during which the two countries pledged to deepen strategic cooperation.

Beijing has never condemned the February 2022 Russian invasion, instead asserting its neutrality in the conflict, after issuing a vaguely articulated 12-point position on its resolution. Ahead of expected peace talks in Switzerland next month, Xi called for negotiations that take into account the positions of both sides.

It is crucial to involve global players like China, because “they have influence over Russia, and the more countries of this type we have on our side… the more Russia will have to move and (the more countries) with which it will have to be counted,” Zelensky said.

Noting assurances Xi reportedly gave him over the phone regarding territorial integrity, he added: “They are supportive, but what they will do, we have not yet seen.” » The only known phone call between Zelensky and the Chinese leader took place in April last year.

Zelensky said he would like to see China participate in international negotiations in Switzerland next month, aimed at paving the way for a peace process in Ukraine. The summit has so far attracted delegations from more than 50 countries, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing Swiss President Viola Amherd.

China has not committed to participating in the event, although its ambassador to Switzerland, Wang Shihting, said in March that Beijing was considering participation.

Russia has not been represented at any of the four rounds of closed-door international peace talks that have taken place so far, and will not be at this one. China participated, organized by its increasingly close strategic partner, Saudi Arabia.

During a recent six-day trip to Europe, Xi pushed back against allegations that his country supported Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying China “opposes using the Ukraine crisis to offload of its responsibilities or defame a third country and provoke a new cold conflict.” War.”

But he joined French President Emmanuel Macron in calling for a global Olympic truce, which would result in a pause in fighting in all conflicts at the upcoming Summer Games in Paris.

Zelensky, however, expressed skepticism about the ceasefire proposal, citing insufficient guarantees against Russian advances.

“Even if we imagine that there is some kind of Olympic truce for two weeks and everyone stays still, tell me, I told Emmanuel, who can guarantee that Russia will not use this time to bring its forces to our territory,” Zelensky said. AFP.

“There is a risk that if we don’t fight them and stop them with artillery fire, even (in areas) where they are advancing, there is a risk that they will bring in more heavy military equipment on our territory.”