Ukraine and China discussed ways to stop Russian aggression in their latest bilateral talks.
In a press release on Wednesday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said that the special representative of the Chinese government, Li Hui, visited Ukraine on Tuesday and Wednesday, and met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.
“The trip took place in fulfilment of the agreements reached during the telephone conversation” between their respective leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last month, the release read.
The two diplomats discussed “topical issues,” both at the bilateral level and within the framework of international organisations, “as well as ways to stop Russian aggression.”
Kuleba informed Li about “the principles of restoring a stable and just peace based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” He stressed that Ukraine “does not accept any proposals that would involve the loss of its territories or the freezing of the conflict.”
⚡️Chinese envoy visits Ukraine, meets Kuleba.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) May 17, 2023
Li Hui, China's special representative for Eurasian affairs, visited Ukraine on May 16-17 as part of the agreement reached during the Zelensky-Xi phone call last month, according to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.
Furthermore, he noted the importance of China’s participation “in the implementation of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, guaranteeing nuclear safety and other important international efforts.”
They also discussed the “long-term prospects for the development” of bilateral relations and agreed “to increase dialogue on key issues of the bilateral and international agenda.”
China has not yet commented on the happenings of the two-day meeting.
Li’s diplomatic tour of Europe also includes stops in Russia, Poland, France, and Germany.
On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion this February, China released a 12-point “peace plan,” which was criticised by many of Ukraine’s allies for failing to explicitly call for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.