Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to visit China for talks in search for end to war

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is set to begin a high-stakes visit to China on Tuesday, with the mission focused on a potential Chinese role in restoring peace in Ukraine.

"The main topic of discussion will be the search for ways to stop Russian aggression and China's possible role in achieving a sustainable and just peace," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that both nations would also discuss the state of bilateral relations and prospects for development.

The four-day visit was initiated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to statements from both country's foreign ministries on Monday.

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In a video speech released on Weibo, China's equivalent of X, Kuleba said they would discuss matters such as the "restoration of peace, deepening our bilateral dialogue, and expanding trade and economic cooperation".

This will be Kuleba's first visit to China as foreign minister since the start of the war, and follows talks between Chinese foreign vice-minister Sun Weidong and Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine's first deputy foreign minister, in Beijing last month.

During those talks, the Ukrainian official urged Beijing to send a delegation to last month's peace summit in Switzerland. China did not attend, and said the participation of both warring parties was a prerequisite for any meaningful peace summit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had openly criticised Beijing for trying to dissuade other countries from attending the peace conference.

Last week, Zelensky announced that his country aimed to hold another peace conference by November, focusing on his vision for peace in Ukraine, and urged Russian representatives to attend.

Kyiv has been seeking to improve communication with Beijing over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In March, Kuleba said China held "great potential" to help end the conflict, and that both nations remained confident in each other.

Ukrainian and Chinese delegations meet Kyiv in May 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/Ukrainian foreign ministry alt=Ukrainian and Chinese delegations meet Kyiv in May 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/Ukrainian foreign ministry>

Kuleba met Wang in February on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, when Wang reassured him that China would not sell any lethal arms to either side.

During a tour of Europe in May, Chinese President Xi Jinping also sought to counter criticisms that his country was supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, telling European leaders that Beijing would not sell weapons to Russia and would control the flow of dual-use goods to the Russian military.

Beijing has stressed it is neutral in the conflict but has faced disapproval for offering economic support to Moscow amid international sanctions. China has also not condemned Russia's invasion.

In May, China and Brazil presented a joint proposal to de-escalate the war, calling for an international peace conference "at a proper time that is recognised by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation of all parties as well as fair discussion of all peace plans".

In the proposal, they urged relevant parties to adhere to three principles for de-escalation: no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, and no provocation by any side.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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