Ukraine says China can have 'important role' in creating peace

Ukraine says China can play a key role in helping to end the conflict with Russia, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed his country's commitment to promoting peace and building closer ties with Kyiv.  

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, and Wang met at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as the U.S. announced a team of senior officials was heading for Saudi Arabia with counterparts from Moscow and Kyiv.

As diplomacy momentum builds towards finding solutions to finish the three-year conflict, Sybiha discussed the desire to work closer with Beijing and said: "We really appreciate the constant support of China for our territorial sovereignty and integrity. We also, as Ukraine, keep the policy of China. 

"China for us is a trade partner, number one partner. So we informed the Chinese side about recent developments in Ukraine, about our peace efforts. We emphasize that it is very important not to manipulate with the term peace. 

"We want to achieve a just comprehensive and lasting peace. It is also in the interest of China. You need stability in Europe. You need to prevent escalations in Europe. We do really count on the active role of China in our efforts to achieve peace."

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, added: "It's time to arrange the meetings between our leaders. I think it's momentum. It's momentum because China can play important role in the peace process."

Nurturing relations

Wang said China had been Ukraine's largest trading partner in recent years, stating that this had been hard-won under the current circumstances and demonstrated the potential and space for cooperation between the two sides.

China is ready to work with Ukraine to "overcome unfavorable factors, advance bilateral relations, and carry out practical cooperation," Wang added. On the Ukraine crisis, Wang said China has always been committed to promoting peace and talks.

Bringing an end to the Ukraine conflict has become a high priority for U.S. President Donald Trump as European leaders scramble to force their way to the table for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expected to begin peace negotiations with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over the weekend he would never accept any deals without the involvement of Ukraine or Europe.

But Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, gave Europeans reasons to doubt they would be heard, saying Europe would not be directly involved in talks but would still have an "input."

In Munich, NATO chief Mark Rutte said Europe had to come up with "good proposals" for securing peace in Ukraine if it wanted to be involved in U.S.-led talks.

"If Europeans want to have a say, make yourself relevant," Rutte said.

Rutte also said he would head to Paris on Monday to be part of the meeting of European leaders convened by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Five European diplomats said the meeting would include France, Britain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and Denmark, which would represent Baltic and Scandinavian countries.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Sunday that Macron would bring together "the main European countries" in the capital for discussions on "European security."

On Ukraine, Barrot reiterated that "only Ukrainians can decide to stop fighting, and we will support them until they make that decision," adding that Ukrainians "will never stop until they are sure that the peace offered to them will be lasting" and they have a guarantee of security.

"Who will provide the guarantees? It will be the Europeans," Barrot repeated, stating that "yes, the Europeans will be in one way or another involved in the discussions to end the war in Ukraine ."