The Chinese and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers, Wang Yi and Dmytro Kuleba, spoke today by telephone, at the latter’s initiative, according to China’s Foreign Ministry. According to Reuters, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported afterwards in a statement that Kuleba had asked Wang to use China’s ties with Russia to stop its invasion, and that Wang had replied that China was ready to make every effort to help end the war through diplomacy.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry readout, Kuleba briefed Wang on the outcome of the first round of talks with Russia, and “noted that although the negotiation was not smooth, the Ukrainian side still maintains calm and is willing to move forward with the talks. He said China has played a constructive role on this issue,” and Ukraine “looked forward to China’s mediation efforts for the ceasefire.”
Wang, for his part, said China “calls on Ukraine and Russia to find a solution through negotiations and supports all constructive international efforts that are conducive to a political settlement,” while stressing “that China has always believed that the security of one country should not be achieved at the expense of the security of other countries, and that regional security cannot be achieved by expanding military blocs.”
