Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has embarked on his first trip to China since the start of the military conflict in Ukraine in 2022.
A representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, confirmed that Kuleba would be in China from Tuesday to Friday. His visit will take place at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, according to Chinese media.
The key subject of discussion will be “the search for ways to deal with Russian aggression and China’s possible role in achieving a stable and just peace,” according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry in Kyiv.
Peace talks are possible
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted peace talks with Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian president said that when the time comes to settle the situation, he will talk to those in Russia who decide everything, CNN reports.
Zelensky did not rule out in the interview that the “hot stage” of hostilities could be ended before the end of the year if “we act in concert and follow the format of the peace summit.”
On Sunday, July 21, CNN concluded that Volodymyr Zelensky had changed his attitude to a possible dialogue with Russia. Journalists saw in the actions of the Ukrainian president hints of readiness for peace talks. Against this background, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko allowed holding a referendum on the terms of peace and negotiations with Moscow. Prolonging the conflict, according to the politician, will be a nightmare.
Course on Donald Trump
Zelensky’s position may have changed, including after his recent conversation with Donald Trump, for example, says that the world should still be united around Ukraine, then he will be ready to talk to Russia about peace on the basis of the UN charter. As for the UN charter, it is clear that here we are talking about the principle of inviolability of borders. Zelensky emphasises that he still insists on returning to the 1991 borders.
On the other hand, it is clear that there are now questions about the amount of Western support. Trump recently chose as his potential vice-president J.D. Vance, a man who does not want to help Ukraine and is one of the strongest critics of this aid. Given that Zelensky is also saying that he will need to make plans somehow if the fighting drags on for more than a year, it is understandable that he is trying to find some way out of the conflict now.
Also meeting with Donald Trump last week was former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whom the Russian Foreign Ministry accused of derailing the talks in 2022. After the meeting, Johnson said that Trump, if he wins the election, will be able to end military operations on terms favourable to Kyiv and the West, but with the cession of some territories to Russia.
At the same time, the politician noted that Trump could allow Kyiv to hit Russian territory with US weapons, which would help push back Russian troops. After that, according to Johnson, “a deal could be proposed.”
China put forward its own “peace plan” on Ukraine as early as February 2023. It included respect for sovereignty, guarantees of territorial integrity of all countries, cessation of hostilities, rejection of strengthening and expansion of military blocs, resumption of negotiations, cessation of unilateral sanctions, and others.
Russian President Vladimir Putin allowed the possibility that the Chinese plan would become the basis for a settlement. In May 2024, China and Brazil together advocated an international peace conference recognised by Russia and Ukraine and a fair discussion of all peace proposals.
