On May 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his support for China’s proposed peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis in an interview published early on Wednesday. Putin emphasized that China had a comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes of the crisis. Ahead of his visit to Beijing, Putin stated that Russia remained open to dialogue and negotiations to resolve the conflict that has persisted for over two years. He praised China’s plan and the additional principles outlined by President Xi Jinping, which took into account the factors contributing to the conflict.
Putin commended China’s approach, stating that Beijing truly comprehended the root causes and the global geopolitical significance of the crisis. Furthermore, he described the principles discussed between Xi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as realistic and constructive steps that aimed to overcome the mentality of the Cold War. While China had previously presented a 12-point paper outlining general principles to end the war, it did not delve into specifics.
At the time, the proposal received a lukewarm response from both Russia and Ukraine, with the United States criticizing China for aligning itself with Russia’s “false narrative” and failing to condemn its invasion. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov regarded the proposal as a reasonable plan put forth by the great Chinese civilization for discussion.
Xi’s additional principles advocate for de-escalation of tensions, the establishment of conditions conducive to peace and stability, and the mitigation of global economic repercussions.
Russia perceives the conflict as a confrontation between itself and the “collective West,” which disregarded Moscow’s security interests by supporting NATO’s eastward expansion and military activities near its borders.
Russia characterizes its actions in Ukraine as a “special operation” aimed at disarming Ukraine and safeguarding it from fascist elements. However, Ukraine and Western nations refute the fascist claims and assert that the conflict is an unwarranted act of aggression.
Despite proclaiming an unrestricted partnership with China shortly before launching its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has not received direct military support from Beijing.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s peace proposal for Ukraine includes the withdrawal of Russian forces, the restoration of its 1991 borders, and holding Russia accountable for its actions.
A “peace summit” is set to take place in Switzerland in June, but Russia has not been invited and has dismissed the event as inconsequential, insisting that discussions must acknowledge the current “realities.”
While China has participated in some preliminary discussions for the summit, Ukraine has made significant efforts to persuade Beijing to attend.