Top Ukraine official speaks with China’s ambassador about peace summit plans
- Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, meets with Fan Xianrong about a proposed conference to be held in Switzerland
- Meeting follows tour of European capitals by Li Hui, China’s point man on the war in Ukraine, seeking to ‘mediate and build consensus’ for an end to the conflict
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff met with China’s ambassador on Wednesday, as Kyiv pushed for a global peace summit and Beijing stepped up diplomatic efforts to mediate an end to the war with Russia.
Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky’s presidential office, spoke with Ambassador Fan Xianrong about preparations for a proposed international leaders’ conference to be held in Switzerland, the office said in a statement.
The meeting came after Li Hui, Beijing’s special representative for Eurasian affairs and its point man on the war, finished his tour of European capitals in an effort to “mediate and build consensus” for an end to the conflict, now in its third year.
Li had visited Moscow, Brussels and Warsaw before he met Yermak on March 7 for “frank and friendly talks”. He travelled to Germany and France afterward. It was his second round of “shuttle diplomacy” after a first attempt last May.
Yermak and Fan summarised outcomes of Li’s visit to Kyiv and discussed areas for further cooperation on the Ukrainian Peace Formula, the statement said.
“Yermak thanked the Chinese side for its interest in achieving a just peace for Ukraine,” it said.
Zelensky proposed a “global peace summit” to rally support for his peace plan, which seeks restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and withdrawal of all Russian troops. The Swiss government has committed to host the event “by the summer”.
During his meeting in Berlin on Saturday with German State Secretary Thomas Bagger, Li said that China was ready to work with Germany “to support the timely convening of a peace conference with equal participation of all parties”.
EU locks horns with China’s envoy on Ukraine, as schisms on war remain
But Li also warned that the crisis was “at risk of further escalation”.
Speaking in Paris on Monday with Jonathan Lacôte of the French foreign ministry, Li said the most urgent task was to end fighting and agree to a ceasefire as soon as possible.
China’s foreign ministry said that Li’s diplomatic outreaches had been “appreciated” by his European colleagues.
However, EU officials said that Li had mainly echoed the Kremlin’s points of view, and told the EU to stop sanctioning Chinese companies.
China says it is neutral in the conflict and has consistently called for a ceasefire. But it is seen by the US and its European allies to have sided with Russia, since Beijing has refused to condemn its invasion of Ukraine and maintained close ties with Moscow despite Western sanctions.
