China says it will send peace envoy to Ukraine
This combination of file photos shows China's President Xi Jinping, taken in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 19, 2022, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy taken outside Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 7, 2023. Chinese leader Xi talked Wednesday, April 26, 2023, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy by phone and appealed for negotiations in Russia's war against his country, warning "there is no winner in a nuclear war," state media said, in a long-anticipated conversation after Beijing said it wanted to act as peace mediator. (AP Photo, File)
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Wednesday that his government will send a peace envoy to Ukraine and other nations, state media said, after Beijing said it wants to act as mediator in Russia’s war with the country.
A government statement reported by state TV gave no indication whether the Chinese envoy would visit Russia.
“China will send a special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs to Ukraine and other countries to conduct in-depth communication with all parties on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” the statement said.
It made no mention of Russia or President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
“There is no winner in a nuclear war,” the statement warned.
China has tried to appear neutral in the war but has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion.
Xi and Putin issued a joint statement before the February 2020 attack saying their governments had a “no limits friendship.”
Xi’s government released a peace proposal in February and called for a cease-fire and talks.
“Negotiation is the only viable way out,” state TV said in a report on Xi’s comments to Zelenskyy.
“There is no winner in a nuclear war,” the report said. “All parties concerned should remain calm and restrained in dealing with the nuclear issue and truly look at the future and destiny of themselves and humanity as a whole and work together to manage the crisis.”
FatStupidOldMan on April 26th, 2023 at 19:13 UTC »
I have a theory.
Putin wants to save face and the best way to do it is through a Chinese brokered peace than him simply pulling out.
I think if Russia wants to pull out, they’ll do so through something like this because is abstracts the responsibility.
Philoctetes23 on April 26th, 2023 at 18:50 UTC »
I hope this envoy recognizes the sovereignty of Ukraine and other post-Soviet states.
WellOkayMaybe on April 26th, 2023 at 17:00 UTC »
Given that the PRC's version of "peaceful resolution" is "we take what we want and you make peace with that" - I'm not hugely confident this is going to work for Ukraine?
Their ambassador to France said what he wasn't supposed to say aloud but what the CCP Central Committee clearly actually believes. That "breakaway states" only have legitimacy insofar as the progenitor state (Russia/China) allows them to exist. They're very insecure and touchy about this point.
It's the basis of their Taiwan/Hong Kong nationalist-hegemonic template, which also bars them from actually brokering a peace deal. They can barely accept that Ukraine is a sovereign state, let alone broker a deal acceptable to Kiyiv. If they account for Ukrainian sovereignty in any substantial manner, then it follows that they also have to account for Taiwanese sovereignty. That's a non-starter for obvious reasons.