KYIV: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy has thanked Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz for his diplomatic efforts in China to end Kyiv’s 25-month-old war with Russia and said China could play an important role in securing peace.
Ukraine has been trying to win the support of China, which has close ties with Russia, for a peace summit likely to be held in Switzerland in June. Russia is not invited to the gathering and has termed any such meeting meaningless without its participation.
Scholz during a three-hour meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping asked him to put pressure on Russia so that President Vladimir Putin finally calls off his military campaign and ends the war against Ukraine.
However, Xi appeared to dismiss the meeting in Switzerland, saying efforts towards a peaceful resolution should be acknowledged by both sides and also include equal participation by all parties.
Zelensky, in his nightly video address thanked the Chancellor of Germany, for his leadership and appropriate international communication.
He noted that China can indeed help restore peace in Ukraine and stability in international ties.
Zelensky said the meeting in Switzerland would provide a real opportunity for all of the parties to ensure that the UN Charter and its goals and principles would be implemented.
Chinese representatives have also attended at least one of the meetings to prepare for the Swiss gathering.
A senior Chinese envoy, Li Hui, special representative for Eurasian affairs, has held talks with senior officials in both Moscow and Kyiv. However, Moscow, said it was not possible to reach a Ukraine settlement without Moscow’s participation.
