IRIA News

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has sought “common ground” in talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, aimed at ending the ongoing war with Russia. The meeting, held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, marked the first visit to China by a Ukrainian foreign minister since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, which has strained Ukraine’s relations with China.

“I am convinced that a just peace in Ukraine is in China’s strategic interests, and China’s role as a global force for peace is important,” Kuleba stated during the opening remarks of the meeting.

China, maintaining close ties with Russia, has long advocated for an end of war that accommodates the interests of both conflicting sides. This stance, however, has put Beijing at odds not only with Ukraine but also with Western European countries and the United States, which insist on a Russian withdrawal as the cornerstone of any peace agreement.

A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry highlighted that Wang Yi reiterated the four principles previously outlined by Chinese President Xi Jinping for resolving the crisis. These principles include respecting all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity while also considering the legitimate security concerns of any party, a nod to Russia’s opposition to NATO’s expansion.

While there is no evidence that China is directly supplying arms to Russia, reports suggest that dual-use goods, items that can be utilized for both civilian and military purposes, are finding their way into Russian military supplies. Ukrainian soldiers have reported encountering Chinese artillery shells used by Russian forces, though it remains unclear if these originated from Beijing or through third countries.

Today in China, I held detailed and thorough negotiations with my Chinese counterpart Wang Yi about the path to peace.

I emphasized that Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, not just an illusion of peace, and I appreciate that this position was reciprocated.

We agreed that… pic.twitter.com/9SrnvgreEm

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) July 24, 2024

China’s role in global peace efforts has been a point of contention. Beijing did not attend a peace conference in Switzerland last month, which notably excluded Russia. Kuleba’s visit includes efforts to lobby Chinese officials to attend another peace conference anticipated before the American presidential election in early November, highlighting Ukraine’s recognition of China’s pivotal role in any viable peace process.

Warning for Hongkong

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during his visit to Hong Kong, warned about Russia using the city to bypass Western sanctions imposed due to its invasion of Ukraine. These sanctions, unprecedented in scale, were designed to economically penalize Moscow. Recent measures specifically target entities aiding Russia in evading these restrictions, including 19 Chinese companies, some based in Hong Kong.

“Kuleba also called on the Hong Kong Administration to take measures to prevent Russia and Russian companies from using Hong Kong to circumvent the restrictive measures imposed for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” his ministry said.

“These restrictive measures are necessary to weaken Russia’s capacity to wage war and kill people in Ukraine,” he said, according to the statement.

“Russia’s machinations should not spoil Hong Kong’s reputation as a highly developed liberal economy based on unwavering respect for the rule of law.”

A Hong Kong government spokesman responded, stating that the city “implements and strictly enforces” United Nations Security Council sanctions. However, officials noted that Hong Kong is not required to enforce unilateral sanctions from Western nations.

China’s peacemaking efforts

Kuleba’s trip follows a rare public criticism by Zelenskyy in June, where he accused China of aiding Russia in blocking countries from participating in the Swiss peace conference. This was a departure from Zelenskyy’s usually cautious approach to China, emphasizing Ukraine’s growing urgency to shift Beijing away from its alliance with Moscow.

China, in a separate move, introduced a six-point peace plan with Brazil ahead of the Swiss conference, which likely frustrated Ukrainian officials seeking backing for their peace proposals. Kuleba underscored the need to avoid competing peace plans, emphasizing, “We must avoid the competition of peace plans.”

Kuleba arrived in China on Tuesday and is scheduled to leave on Friday. In a video posted on his social media accounts, he expressed optimism about the negotiations, stating, “We need to move to a just and stable peace. China can play a significant role in this. Let’s go.”

For China, hosting Kuleba underscores its ambition to influence global security challenges and counterbalance the United States. Wang Yi reaffirmed China’s commitment to a political resolution, noting that although the timing might not yet be right, both Moscow and Kyiv have shown varying degrees of willingness to negotiate.

However, the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov remarked that Kuleba’s openness to negotiations aligned with Russia’s stance, asserting that Russia has never refused talks. This is met with skepticism from Ukrainian and Western officials, who view Russia’s negotiation offers as disingenuous and a tactic to compel Ukraine into submission.

President Vladimir Putin’s ceasefire conditions, which demand Ukraine relinquish control of four regions and abandon plans to join NATO, remain unacceptable to Ukraine. Conversely, Ukraine’s objective to regain full territorial control and join NATO is intolerable for Moscow, leaving a substantial gap for potential negotiations.