Kuleba’s Visit to China: Betrayal, Victory or the Beginning of a Long Way?
25 July 2024 17:02
EXCLUSIVE
On 24 July, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba began a three-day visit to China, where on the first day he held talks in Guangzhou with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, “the parties discussed possible ways to stop Russian aggression and China’s possible role in achieving a sustainable and just peace.”
This visit has already become scandalous, as the first information that appeared on its motives was that Kuleba declared his readiness to negotiate with Russia. As it turned out, this information was initially spread with the help of the Russian media, so soon updates had to be issued with clarifications from the minister. The final version of Kuleba’s words reads as follows:
“Ukraine is ready to negotiate with Russia. However, the negotiations must be rational, practical and focused on achieving sustainable peace. I am convinced that a just peace in Ukraine is in China’s strategic interests, and China’s role as a global force for peace is important.”
Kuleba’s visit to China took place against the backdrop of diplomatic activity by various states and politicians to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian war. And China’s position (unlike, for example, Hungary’s) is very important and one of the key ones. So Kuleba, according to numerous commentators, went to China with a clear goal – to prevent the spread of the Sino-Russian-Brazilian “peace plan”.
“The purpose of the visit is very transparent. After the first Global Peace Summit, Ukraine realised that without China’s position, we will lose to the countries of the Global South, at least. So today, obviously, the task is to find an understanding with China. That is why there were statements about readiness for peace talks, which China insists on,”
– said political analyst Ruslan Bortnik in an exclusive commentary to Kommersant Ukrainian
According to him, this is why Kuleba reiterated that Ukraine continues to adhere to the principle of a united China.
“That is why there were statements that Ukraine adheres to the principle of a united China. Thus, our country hoped that China would use the mirror terminology and confirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine, meaning that it would not recognise the Russian status of the occupied territories,”
– the political scientist believes.
According to Kuleba, the Chinese minister agreed that Ukraine needs a “just and sustainable peace”. In a communiqué released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, these words go hand in hand with a reference to Sino-Brazilian “peace initiatives”.
“Ukraine attaches great importance to China’s opinion and has carefully studied the ‘six-point consensus’ reached by China and Brazil on a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Ukraine is willing and ready for dialogue and negotiations with Russia. Of course, the negotiations must be reasonable and substantive, aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace,”
– the Chinese Foreign Ministry said following the meeting.
According to economic expert Oleh Pendzin, Ukraine should look for common ground with China, because without China it is almost impossible to force Russia to negotiate.
“China is our major trading partner. China should definitely be taken very seriously in terms of the Ukrainian peace formula, because without China, in my opinion, it is impossible. Only a united front can make Russia sit down at the negotiating table on Ukraine’s terms today,” Peng said in an exclusive interview,
– penzin said in an exclusive commentary to Kommersant Ukrainian
Kuleba’s visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese side is certainly significant and promising. However, experts believe that Ukraine-China relations are only just beginning.
“In any case, this visit is a definite step forward, it has more positive than negative. It may result in political agreements at the level of the heads of state. So far, it is an attempt to synchronise positions and an attempt to conduct reconnaissance by combat,”
– says Ruslan Bortnik.
There are, of course, some achievements. Commentators even point out that during official events and speeches in China, Ukraine has been called a “friendly state” several times, which was not the case before. So it is worth continuing to work on establishing relations with China.
“We will see how Ukraine’s policy and approach to peaceful settlement will change, whether Ukraine will take into account the Sino-Brazilian peace proposals for settlement. We will see whether China will take part in the second global peace summit, and whether there will be a peace conference organised by China, and whether Ukraine will take part in it. These will be the markers of whether certain agreements have been reached, whether positions have been synchronised or not,”
– ruslan Bortnik summarised.
“The formula for peace”
on 11 October 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced to the leaders of the G7 countries a “peace formula” to overcome the Russian threat. It includes 10 points:
- Radiation and nuclear safety.
- Food security.
- Energy security.
- Release of all prisoners and deportees.
- Implementation of the UN Charter, restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and world order.
- Withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and cessation of hostilities.
- Return of justice.
- Countering ecocide.
- Preventing escalation.
- Fixing the end of the war.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution with the Ukrainian peace formula in 2023, on the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Seven states voted against it: Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Syria, Eritrea, Mali, and Nicaragua. The abstentions included China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Armenia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia would not negotiate on the basis of Zelenskyy’s “peace formula”.
More news in the Kommersant Ukrainian telegram channel – https://t.me/komersant_ukrainskyi.
