CHINA’S President, Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Wednesday, talked by phone, during which they exchanged views on bilateral ties and the Ukraine crisis.
President Xi said China has always been on the side of peace for Ukraine and its core position is facilitating peace talks and contributing to stopping hostilities and restoring peace.

China will send its special envoy on Eurasian Affairs for in-depth communications with countries and concerned parties on the political settlement of the crisis.

The Chinese President stressed dialogue and negotiation as the only way out for the Ukraine crisis, and noting there is no winner in a nuclear war, he also urged that all parties concerned exercise restraint and maintain calmness on the nuclear issue and allowing joint efforts to manage the crisis for the benefit of humanity.

Xi also got all parties to reflect on the Ukraine crisis and jointly pursue an approach to ensure long-lasting peace in Europe.

On bilateral ties, Xi said no matter how the international situation evolves, China is ready to work with Ukraine to advance mutually beneficial co-operation between the two countries.

For his part, President Zelensky expressed his appreciation to China for the humanitarian assistance it provided to Ukraine, and welcomed the Chinese side playing an important role in restoring peace and resolving the crisis through political means.

The very fact that the two leaders talked peace – after having met personally much earlier at a global summit – is a very welcome sign that must be neither overlooked nor underestimated.

The Ukraine leader’s preparedness to sit with China to talk about talking peace with Russia, is the most positive indication of late that peace talks are possible – which also means peace is also possible.

China’s 12-point peace plan talks now welcomed by Ukraine’s President, supporters of peace everywhere are starting to breathe sighs of relief, exhaling in anxiety.

French President, Emmanuel Macron, during and after his recent visit to Beijing, has insisted the West cannot afford to try to isolate or punish China, but instead engage more with Beijing.
Brazil’s President Ignacio ‘Lula’ DaSilva also visited China last week and urged support for Beijing’s peace plan.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin welcomed the China peace plan from the outset and while Moscow says Kyiv and NATO aren’t showing signs of wanting peace, the Russian president willing go to the table with China as a mediator.

All wars end with talks and Ukraine’s is no different – and there’s no other alternative to a war that’s already cost Kyiv’s allies over US $40 billion in its first year, with no peace anywhere in near sight.

As with all peace negotiations, all sides involved in the fighting will have to agree to the starting points, such as venue, methodology and expectations, with no conditions that would derail dialogue.

Kyiv and Moscow have both kept fighting while talking about peace talks, but that’s par for the course in such situations, as what matters is where the talks are leading – which, in this case, is to the table.

Peace negotiations to end wars today are no longer about stopping the beating of war drums and smoking peace pipes, flashing of mirrors or sending smoke signals.

Lines of instant communication have been established and messages are flowing between the capitals and leaders – and that’s the best start anyone can hope for currently.

The next-best hope is that points of disagreement disappear earlier than later, while the sides agree to disagree on intractable issues, so that the talks can also start sooner than later.
The world’s fingers remain crossed.