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Can China broker peace in Ukraine?

2023-04-27 19:28:32, Kosova & Bota CNA

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping

China announced that it will send a special representative to Ukraine and other countries to mediate a peaceful solution to Russia's war on Ukraine. As Voice of America correspondent Cindy Saine reports, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation yesterday, a conversation that Kiev had long sought.

Amid artillery strikes and destruction caused by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, China surprised the world with an announcement on Wednesday.

" The Chinese side will send a special representative of the government covering Eurasian affairs to visit Ukraine and other countries with the aim of developing deep communication with all parties for a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine. " said Yu Jun, an official at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China made several public announcements yesterday, drawing attention to its diplomatic initiative regarding Ukraine. Beijing said Chinese leader Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president.

Mr. Zelenskyy, who had long called for such a thing, welcomed the talks in a statement on Twitter.

In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby welcomed reports of a phone conversation between the two leaders. He said it is important for President Xi and officials of the People's Republic of China to get to know Kiev's view on Russia's illegal and unprovoked attack.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow sees broad compliance with China's approach, but the main obstacle, according to her, are what she called Kiev's unrealistic demands.

The Chinese president visited Moscow in March. Beijing has refused to condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine, or to call for the withdrawal of its troops. But on the other hand, he called for restraint on all sides and accused NATO of inciting the conflict. Based on this attitude, most foreign policy experts are skeptical about China's role as a peace broker.

Michael Kimmage of the Catholic University of America tells VOA that China is unlikely to offer a useful diplomatic framework to end the conflict.

" China seeks to play a role in the reconstruction of Ukraine, as it is a major economic actor and a major country. But China cannot be, at the moment, nor in the future, any realistic alternative to any of the actors in the war, " he says.

Mr. Kimmage says there are economic factors at play.

" China and Ukraine have had a fairly significant economic relationship. Before the war, I believe China was Ukraine's largest trading partner. Beijing has a network of economic interests, not only in Ukraine, but also in the wider region," he added . Further.

Meanwhile, jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced Wednesday that he could face life in prison on terrorism charges as authorities prepare for a new trial against him. Human rights organizations and Western governments continue to call for Mr. Navalny's release, calling the charges against him absurd./ VOA