China has rebutted accusations made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding alleged Chinese interference in an upcoming Ukraine peace summit, with the Chinese foreign ministry asserting that Beijing’s stance on the matter remains impartial.
Zelenskyy had raised concerns during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, claiming that Russia was leveraging China’s influence in Asia to disrupt the scheduled peace talks in June.
#Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, on June 3, rejected Ukrainian President’s #VolodymyrZelensky‘s claim that #Beijing is fuelling the #RussiaUkrainewar. pic.twitter.com/lsw4fhopbe
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 4, 2024
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, dismissed these allegations on Monday, stating that China does not engage in hegemony or power politics, emphasizing that China does not exert pressure on other countries.
The peace summit, slated for June 15-16 in Switzerland, aims to address the ongoing conflict sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over two years ago. Zelenskyy highlighted the summit’s agenda, which includes discussions on Ukraine’s peace initiatives, nuclear and food security, and the repatriation of abducted Ukrainian children from Russia. Over a hundred countries and international organizations are expected to participate.
While China has consistently advocated for a ceasefire and dialogue to resolve the conflict, Mao reiterated that China may not attend the Swiss talks due to certain conditions not being met, including recognition from Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties, and fair deliberation of peace proposals.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson denies putting any ‘pressure’ on countries following Zelensky’s accusations that #Beijing is helping #Russia ‘disrupt’ the peace summit. #China previously announced it will not attend the peace talks in #Switzerland, maintaining a ‘fair and… pic.twitter.com/GzJNUiC9Xu
— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) June 3, 2024
Despite this, Mao stressed that China maintains close communication with Ukraine and Switzerland and underscores the significance of the summit.
Zelenskyy’s remarks about Chinese involvement in the war characterized China as an “instrument” of Russia and President Vladimir Putin, reflecting concerns about the deepening alliance between Moscow and Beijing since February 2022.
Recent discussions between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping focused on bolstering trade relations amidst Western pressure and sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy cautioned that China’s support for Russia could prolong the conflict and have broader negative repercussions.
He called upon Asian leaders to commit to attending the peace summit and urged Asian nations to endorse an end to the conflict, emphasizing Ukraine’s need for political and humanitarian assistance rather than military support.
Beijing has denied allegations by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that China is pressuring other countries not to attend an upcoming Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland.
Read the full story: https://t.co/9diIxSYN9a pic.twitter.com/594BNdRppS
— CNBC International (@CNBCi) June 4, 2024
While many Asian countries have expressed support for ending hostilities in Ukraine, some, including China, India, and Pakistan, have refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion, illustrating a mixed stance in the region regarding the conflict.
Major Points:
- China refutes Zelenskyy’s claims of interference in Ukraine peace summit.
- Ukrainian president accused Russia of using China’s influence to disrupt talks.
- Chinese foreign ministry denies pressuring other countries, asserts fair stance.
- Summit scheduled in Switzerland aims to address conflict sparked by Russian invasion.
- Zelenskyy urges Asian leaders to commit to summit, emphasizes need for political and humanitarian support.
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
