Chinese President Xi Jinping assured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday that China had “always been on the side of peace” and called for “negotiation”, during their first telephone conversation since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.
“On the topic of the Ukraine crisis, China has always been on the side of peace, and its fundamental position is to promote peace dialogue,” Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
“Dialogue and negotiation” are the “only way out” of the ongoing conflict with Russia, said the Chinese head of state, promising that his country would not seek to “take advantage” of this “crisis”.
Mr. Zelensky meanwhile soberly indicated in a tweet that he had a “long and meaningful” exchange with Mr. Xi.
Washington, like Paris, welcomed this conversation, calling it a “good thing”, while saying “ignore for the moment” if this “can lead to an initiative, a proposal or a serious peace plan”.
For his part, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell welcomed a “first important step”.
“It is very important for China to talk to Ukraine. I want to remind that we all want peace […] But everyone must understand that it must not be just any peace, he added. “It is not the peace of one who is forced to surrender in the face of a brutal invasion, it must be a just peace, which recognizes the rights of the Ukrainian people”.
Russia, for its part, “took note” of Beijing’s desire to “strive to set up a negotiation process” between Moscow and Kiev but sharply accused Ukraine of “undermining peace initiatives” by his refusal to dialogue with her and reproached her for “rejecting any sensible initiative aimed at a political and diplomatic settlement of the crisis”.
“Almost an hour”
Volodymyr Zelensky also said he hoped “a powerful impetus for the development of bilateral relations” between his country and Beijing, announcing the appointment of Pavlo Riabikine, a 57-year-old former Minister of Strategic Industries, as ambassador. in China, a position vacant since February 2021.
The interview between the two heads of state lasted “almost an hour”, Mr. Zelensky’s spokesman, Serguii Nykyforov, told AFP.
It took place “at the initiative of the Ukrainian side”, assured Chinese diplomacy.
It was the first known exchange between the two men since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Their previous telephone conversation dated back to July 2021.
According to the CCTV report, Xi also reiterated his opposition to the use of nuclear weapons: “When dealing with the nuclear issue, all parties concerned should remain calm and moderate, genuinely focus on their future and their destiny as well as that of all humanity and manage and control the crisis together”.
China also said on Wednesday that it would send a delegation to Ukraine to seek a “political settlement” to the conflict.
“The Chinese side will send a special representative of the Chinese government, in charge of Eurasia, to Ukraine and other countries for in-depth exchanges with all parties towards a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” the ministry said. Foreign Affairs.
Beijing-Moscow Joint Front
Volodymyr Zelensky had wanted to talk to his Chinese counterpart for months in the hope of making China’s position on the Russian invasion more favorable to his country, but, according to experts, it did not respond to the proposals. Ukrainians.
Beijing had released in February a 12-point document presenting its position on the conflict in Ukraine and sometimes perceived as a peace plan.
Moscow and Kiev were urged to engage in talks while also appearing a warning against any use of nuclear weapons and a call to respect the territorial integrity of all countries – also implying that of the Ukraine, part of whose territory is under Russian control.
China, which has not publicly condemned the war in Ukraine and in September did not recognize the integration of four Ukrainian regions into the Russian Federation — nor did it do so in 2014 when the annexation of Crimea – has greatly increased its political and economic cooperation with its Russian neighbor in recent months.
Turbulent at the time of the Cold War, Beijing-Moscow relations have been significantly strengthened in recent decades to form a common front against the influence of the United States.
Xi Jinping traveled to Moscow a few weeks ago to reaffirm his partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin.