China distances itself from mediating Russia–Ukraine war

China supports negotiations and any other efforts aimed at establishing peace in Ukraine, and is interacting with all parties, including Ukraine and Russia, to bring the war to a swift end.

This was stated at a briefing by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, in response to a question from an Ukrinform correspondent regarding a statement by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov in an interview with Sky News, in which he said Russia is discussing the end of the war in Ukraine with China, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.

"China has always supported and continues to support peaceful dialogue and negotiations as the only viable path to resolving the Ukrainian crisis (as China officially calls Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine)," Mao said.

"We support all efforts that contribute to peace," she added.

Mao Ning also assured that China maintains ongoing engagement with all parties regarding the cessation of the war.

"From the very beginning of the crisis, China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible major country, has always interacted with all parties, including Ukraine and Russia, and has played a constructive role in seeking a political resolution to the conflict," she said, responding to a question about whether China discusses peace in Ukraine directly with Kyiv.

Beijing declares neutrality in the Russia–Ukraine war and avoids defining an aggressor or a victim. In the second year of the large-scale war in Ukraine, Chinese authorities attempted to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow to end the conflict, including sending its special representative Li Hui on several mediation missions to Ukraine, European capitals, Russia, and other countries.

However, after a year, Beijing concluded that Kyiv's and Moscow's positions are so far apart and mutually contradictory that hopes for understanding between the warring sides are futile. China then abandoned practical mediation efforts, adopted a passive observer role, and now issues only declarative statements calling for de-escalation and negotiations to resolve the conflict—statements that Russia, China's closest ally, completely ignores.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that China is helping Russia and is not interested in Ukraine's victory or Russia's defeat.