Global Courant 2023-04-26 17:27:45
BEIJING –
Chinese leader Xi Jinping said in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday that his government will send a peace envoy to Ukraine and other countries, state media said, after Beijing said it wants to act as a mediator in Russia’s war with the country.
A government statement on state television gave no indication whether the Chinese envoy would visit Russia.
“China will send a special representative of the Chinese government for Eurasian affairs to Ukraine and other countries to conduct in-depth communication with all parties on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” the statement said.
It made no mention of Russia or President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
“There is no winner in nuclear war,” the statement warned.
China has tried to appear neutral in the war, but has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion.
Before the February 2020 attack, Xi and Putin issued a joint statement saying their governments had a “friendship without borders”.
Xi’s government released a peace proposal in February, calling for a ceasefire and talks.
“Negotiation is the only viable way out,” state television said in a report on Xi’s comments to Zelensky.
“There is no winner in nuclear war,” the report said. “All parties involved must remain calm and restrained in dealing with the nuclear issue and really look to the future and fate of themselves and humanity as a whole and work together to manage the crisis.”
