Ukraine's ambassador to China, Pavlo Riabikin, has confirmed that China has been invited to engage in discussions about Ukraine's peace formula. This development was revealed following Riabikin's meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong on January 29.
The invitation to China comes at a time when Beijing has strengthened its economic and political ties with Russia, despite Western efforts to isolate Moscow after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. China has expressed willingness to mediate in the conflict but has notably refrained from condemning Russia's actions, maintaining a neutral stance in UN resolutions regarding the war in Ukraine.
Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine, informed Reuters in an interview on January 26 about Ukraine's outreach to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ukraine hopes for Xi’s participation in the upcoming Global Peace Summit in Switzerland, which is focused on rallying support for Ukraine's peace initiative.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's 10-point peace plan, unveiled in November 2022, has been the subject of four advisory meetings involving national security advisors, with China attending only one.
The plan encompasses various critical issues, including ending ecocide in Ukraine, holding those responsible for war crimes accountable, ensuring the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, and securing the release of all prisoners of war and deportees. It also addresses the need for energy and food security, as well as nuclear safety.
While Riabikin confirmed the invitation to China, he did not elaborate on whether China had accepted it. Moreover, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's statement on the meeting with Riabikin did not reference the invitation, referring to the situation in Ukraine merely as the "Ukraine crisis."
