Ukraine’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, will travel to China on Tuesday, July 23rd, at the invitation of Beijing. The visit, scheduled to last until July 25th, aims to discuss potential solutions to end the ongoing war in Ukraine and explore a potential role for China in facilitating a peaceful resolution.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has stated that the primary focus of the talks will be on finding ways to halt Russia’s aggression and seeking China’s involvement in achieving a stable and just peace. While China has not condemned Russia’s invasion and has maintained close ties with Moscow, Kyiv has been cautious in its criticism of Beijing.
China, for its part, has emphasized that its relationship with Russia is built on non-alliance principles and does not target any third party.
This visit comes at a critical juncture as various peace initiatives have emerged in recent months, with the war dragging on. Ukraine held an international summit in Switzerland in June, promoting its vision for peace, and plans to host another summit in November that would include Russian representation.
China, which did not participate in the Swiss summit, has proposed a six-point peace plan alongside Brazil, advocating for an internationally recognized peace conference involving both sides of the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that only powerful countries can effectively end the war, mentioning China and the United States as potential key players. He has also emphasized the importance of China playing a significant role in resolving the conflict.
The upcoming talks between Ukraine and China are expected to be closely watched as the world seeks a path towards ending the devastating war in Ukraine.
