China to Promote Political Solution to Crisis in Ukraine - Foreign Ministry

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Beijing intends to promote a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine in its "own way," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

In mid-January, Swiss President Viola Amherd said that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky had asked Switzerland to host a peace summit on Ukraine. The head of the Ukrainian president's office, Andriy Yermak, said last year that Kiev wanted to hold several summits to promote its "peace formula."

"We will continue to promote peace talks in our own way and promote a political solution to the crisis," Wang told a press briefing, answering the question whether China was planning on attending the peace summit on Ukraine in Switzerland.

China will play a constructive role in the process, Wang added.

In November 2022, Zelensky unveiled his 10-point peace initiative dubbed the "peace formula" to end the military conflict with Russia. It included an all-for-all prisoner swap, security guarantees for Ukraine and a return to the pre-2014 borders. Moscow has consistently said it was open to peace negotiations as long as Kiev recognizes the territorial gains Russian forces have made since the launch of the military operation.

In February 2023, Beijing released a 12-point document titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," which underscores respect for the sovereignty of all countries, the cessation of hostilities, and the resumption of peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.

Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Russian and Ukrainian delegations have engaged in several rounds of peace talks since then, but the negotiations have ultimately reached an impasse.