China will not attend the Ukraine peace conference hosted by Switzerland next month, according to reports. The Swiss government aims to facilitate a peace process in Ukraine through the summit on June 15-16.
However, Moscow was not invited, and the conditions to ensure the participation of both Russia and Ukraine were not met, leading Beijing to decline the invitation, according to three sources.
Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui recently stated that Beijing supports a peace conference involving equal participation from all parties. “China supports a timely convening of an international peace conference, approved by the Russian and Ukrainian sides, with equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all options for peace,” Zhang told Russia’s RIA state news agency.
Despite China’s support for a balanced peace conference, the current conditions did not align with its principles. Beijing reiterated its stance on Monday through a foreign ministry spokesperson, emphasizing the need for a conference recognized by both sides.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that China could organize a peace conference involving both Russia and Ukraine. This came after Putin during his China’s visit backed Beijing’s plan for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis, saying Beijing had a full understanding of what lay behind the crisis.
Meanwhile, Ukraine invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the summit in Switzerland, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged US President Joe Biden to attend. Washington has yet to confirm its representation. China maintains close ties with Russia and has not criticized its invasion of Ukraine but has previously offered to mediate in the conflict.
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