Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed support for its ally China's plan for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict, saying Beijing had a full understanding of what lay behind the crisis. The Kremlin leader reiterated that Russia remained open to dialogue and talks to solve the war that has entered its third year with no end in sight.
In his interview with Xinhua news agency published on Wednesday, Putin said China clearly understands "the roots of the Ukraine crisis and its geopolitical impact, as reflected in the "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis", a 12-point proposition issued by China in February 2023. He said the suggestions made in the document showed China's "sincere desire" to stabilise the situation.
"We are positive in our assessment of China's approach to solving the Ukrainian crisis. In Beijing, they truly understand its root causes and its global geopolitical meaning," he said, adding that the additional principles set by Chinese President Xi Jinping in talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were "realistic and constructive steps" that "develop the idea of the necessity to overcome the cold war mentality".
"We have never refused to negotiate. We are seeking a comprehensive, sustainable and just settlement of this conflict through peaceful means. We are open to a dialogue on Ukraine, but such negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in the conflict, including ours," Putin was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
China's peace plan for Ukraine
Beijing put forward a 12-point paper more than a year ago that set out general principles for ending the war but did not get into specifics. It received a lukewarm reception at the time in both Russia and Ukraine, while the US said China was presenting itself as a peacemaker but reflecting Russia's "false narrative" and failing to condemn its invasion.
China's proposal called for a ceasefire and an end to sanctions against Russia. It called for "relevant countries" to stop "abusing unilateral sanctions" and "do their share in de-escalating the Ukraine crisis". It didn’t specify how the sovereignty of Ukraine would be upheld, and the land taken from it since Russia seized Crimea in 2014.
Xi's additional principles call for a "cooling down" of the situation, conditions for restoring peace and creating stability and minimising the impacts on the world economy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last month called the proposal a "reasonable plan that the great Chinese civilization proposed for discussion."
Russia views the conflict as a struggle pitting it against the "collective West" which took no account of Moscow's security concerns by promoting the eastward expansion of NATO and military activity close to its borders. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists.
Putin to meet Xi in China on Thursday
Meanwhile, Putin will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his visit to China starting on Thursday. The visit can be apprehended as increasing proximity between the two superpowers despite the West tagging the current situation "unprecedented" for Moscow. This would be Putin's first foreign trip since he began his fifth term in office.
The two continent-sized authoritarian states, increasingly in dispute with democracies and NATO, seek to gain influence in Africa, the Middle East and South America. China has backed Russia's claim that President Vladimir Putin launched his assault on Ukraine in 2022 because of Western provocations, without producing any solid evidence.
Moreover, China has backed Russia politically in the conflict in Ukraine and has continued to export machine tools, electronics and other items seen as contributing to the Russian war effort, without actually exporting weaponry. China has sought to project itself as a neutral party in the conflict, but has declared a “no limits” relationship with Russia in opposition to the West.
While diplomats and analysts expect Putin to push Xi for further support for Russia's war economy, from machines and chemicals to help its military industries to more discounted oil and gas purchases, Putin's trip is likely to be heavily symbolic of a shared worldview centred on countering a US-led order.
(with inputs from agencies)
