The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, arrives this Monday, March 20, in Moscow in the midst of the conflict in Ukraine to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. China, which presented a peace plan in February, could play a mediating role between Moscow and Kyiv, a possibility welcomed by Russia but viewed with skepticism by Western countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shown interest in having a talk with the Chinese leader, which could take place after the trip to Russia.
Xi Jinping’s state trip will last three days. The first day will be informal. It is expected that Putin will receive him in the Kremlin and that both share lunch. The bulk of the talks and contacts between the two delegations will take place on Tuesday.
Beijing assured last week that this visit is a trip “of peace and friendship.” In it, he will try to strengthen the relationship with Moscow. Russia will try to present the meeting between the two presidents as evidence that it has powerful support in the face of a West it says is hostile to and trying to destroy Russia.
But Xi also brings under his arm the 12-point Chinese proposal that he made public last month, when one year of armed conflict was completed.
China has not explicitly supported Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, but has opposed sanctions against Moscow, saying they “do not solve problems.”
In an article published Monday in the Russian state newspaper Rossískaya Gazeta, the Chinese president stated that the Chinese proposal coincides with global opinion and tries to neutralize the consequences of the crisis.
“The document serves as a constructive factor in neutralizing the consequences of the crisis and promoting a political solution,” Xi wrote.
In the article, the Chinese leader claims that Beijing is making “active efforts” to help bring peace to Ukraine. “A full aggravation of the Ukrainian crisis has been observed since last year. Based on the essence of what is happening, China maintains an impartial and objective stance, makes active efforts to help reconciliation and peace negotiations,” he writes. the mandatary.
And he was convinced that a “rational way out of the crisis and a path towards solid peace and global security in the world” will be found.
At the same time, Vladimir Putin has published an article in the official Chinese newspaper People’s Daily. In it, he thanked “China’s balanced approach to the Ukrainian ‘question'” and welcomed Beijing’s willingness to “play a constructive role” in this crisis.
The Chinese peace proposal was presented last month by China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to both Kyiv and Moscow, as well as to European countries. China wants to play “a constructive role in promoting peace talks,” the Chinese government said.
Last Friday, Beijing assured that the visit “will be about friendship.”
In these three days we will have to be attentive to any sign that indicates that good words are finally translated into an active role as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Recently, China’s mediation efforts between Iran and Saudi Arabia have borne fruit and both countries, enemies for decades, have restored their diplomatic relations.
Hopes are not small because Beijing has also contacted Ukraine. Last Thursday, before officially announcing Xi’s visit to Moscow, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke by phone with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dimitro Kuleba. During that conversation, Qin assured that China will try to help “a cessation of hostilities, the relief of the crisis and the restoration of peace between Ukraine and Russia.”
The Government of Ukraine later stated that it is already preparing the videoconference that, according to various media, Zelenski could hold with Xi Jinping after the Chinese president concludes his visit to Moscow.
Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow is his first outing since he was elected for a third term as China’s president.
In the article in Rossískaya Gazeta, he assures that the trip will also serve to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries, which are based on the “concept of eternal friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.”
During Putin’s visit to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, weeks before Russian troops entered Ukraine, Moscow and Beijing established a “no limits” partnership, ties the two sides have tried to strengthen in recent years. .
