Ukraine: Beijing calls for dialogue and rejects any use of nuclear weapons | War in Ukraine

The Ukrainian president sees a good eye on the Chinese diplomatic approach.

The Chinese government called on Russia and Ukraine to resume dialogue and rejected any use of nuclear weapons, in a 12-point document released Friday, a year after the start of the conflict.

All parties should support Russia and Ukraine to work in the same direction and resume direct dialogue as soon as possible for a peaceful solution, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Title China's position on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, the document was published Friday morning on the ministry's website, at ;the occasion of the first anniversary of the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

China has been seeking for a few weeks to play a mediating role in the Ukrainian conflict, and has been promising for several days to publish its position with a view to finding a political solution.

In the document, Beijing takes a clear position against any recourse to nuclear weapons, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has brandished this threat.

Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear war must not be waged. The threat or use of nuclear weapons must be opposed, the document states.

China also calls on both countries to avoid any attacks on civilians.

Parties [involved] in the conflict must strictly abide by international humanitarian law, avoid attacking civilians or civilian buildings, the ministry stresses.

The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi (Photo archive)

This war is a delicate issue for Beijing, because of its strong diplomatic and economic ties for several years with Moscow, consolidated by the common interest of balancing Washington.

China on Tuesday said it was very concerned about the conflict which is intensifying and even spiraling out of control.

Officially neutral, China calls for respecting the sovereignty of states, including Ukraine, while urging the international community to heed Moscow's security concerns.

But Western pressure is mounting on Beijing, which has never publicly endorsed or criticized the Russian offensive, while repeatedly expressing its support for Moscow facing Western sanctions.

In recent days, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed concern that China is considering supplying arms to Russia – allegations strongly denied by Beijing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi traveled to Moscow on Wednesday, where he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Putin.

At the end of this visit, Moscow said that Mr. Wang had presented to him the approach of China for a political solution to the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he wanted to discuss this document on China's position with Beijing, judging the involvement of this close partner of Moscow to be positive.

We would like to have a meeting with China. It is in Ukraine's interest today, Zelensky said.

That China is starting to talk about Ukraine and is sending some signals is a very positive point, he also said, noting however that #x27;he hadn't seen the Chinese document yet, so it was too early to assess it.

Start of widget . Skip the widget? End of the widget. Back to top of widget?