Russia and China dismiss talks on Ukraine without Moscow's interests
Russia and China have declared meetings in Ukraine that disregard Moscow's interests as pointless, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his visit to China. His counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, expressed Beijing's support for an international conference on Ukraine that includes both Moscow and Kyiv.
12:03 PM EDT, April 9, 2024
It's important to note that many statements from Russian media or government officials are considered propaganda, playing a significant role in the information war led by the Russian Federation.
During his “working” visit to China, Sergei Lavrov met with Wang Yi. Their discussions aimed to address the situation in Ukraine and the dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region.
Deciding Ukraine's future?
Russia and China have underscored the ineffectiveness of discussions on Ukraine that neglect Moscow's interests, Lavrov announced at a joint press conference. “We discussed the ongoing situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis,” he said.
Lavrov was referring to a peace summit in Switzerland. Ukraine had suggested initiating peace negotiations with Russia based on "Zelensky's peace formula." Moscow, which had initially shown openness to dialogue, later dismissed the plan as "pointless" because it demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine’s occupied territories.
“Together with our Chinese partners, we emphasize the importance of addressing the legitimate security concerns of all stakeholders. In this vein, my Chinese colleagues and I have concluded that any international gatherings are futile if they fail to consider or outright ignore Russia’s stance, especially those promoting the unviable Zelensky's peace formula, detached from reality,” Lavrov remarked.
He expressed gratitude towards Beijing for its “objective, balanced stance on Ukraine” and its readiness to facilitate a political-diplomatic resolution.
“China and Russia should align with ‘honesty and justice’ in international relations,” stated Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. He also advocated for an international Ukraine conference involving both Moscow and Kyiv.
“As permanent UN Security Council members and important emerging powers, China and Russia must champion historical progress, honesty, and justice,” Wang asserted, promising that both nations “will keep up close communications in various modalities.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson highlighted that Beijing “neither escalates conflicts nor seeks selfish gains in international disputes” and “strongly opposes unilateral sanctions against the global development trend."
The dialogue between Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart also touched upon Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.
