Putin endorses China’s disputed peace proposals for Ukraine
At a joint press conference with Xi Jinping in Moscow, Vladimir Putin praised China’s peace proposals for Ukraine, which the west has warned would allow the Kremlin to “freeze” its territorial gains in the country.
Putin stated at a joint news conference held at the Kremlin after the second day of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping that Beijing’s peace plan “corresponds to the perspective of the Russian Federation” and that Ukraine’s western allies have shown no interest in it thus far.
China proposed a 12-point peace plan to end the war last month. The paper largely reiterated Beijing’s talking points regarding the Ukraine conflict, including calls for dialogue, respect for the territorial sovereignty of all countries, and an end to economic sanctions. Critically, it did not suggest that Russia withdraw its forces.
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On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed skepticism regarding China’s “peace” proposals, warning that they could be a “stalling tactic” to aid Russian troops in Ukraine.
“The international community should not be fooled by any tactical maneuver by Russia, supported by China or any other nation, to freeze the war on its terms,”
John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, stated on Tuesday that the United States does not believe China is capable of serving as an impartial mediator between Moscow and Kyiv in the Ukraine conflict.
It was the most direct criticism to date of China’s intention to serve as a mediator in efforts to end the war.
He stated, “I do not believe it is reasonable to view China as impartial in any way.”
He noted that China has refrained from criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has continued to purchase Russian oil even as the west heap sanctions on Moscow’s energy industry to deprive the Kremlin of funds to finance the war.
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China, Kirby added, “continues to parrot Russian propaganda.”
Kyiv has previously stated that any negotiations would be contingent on the restoration of Ukraine’s territory in its entirety.
Xi, who seeks to play the role of global peacemaker, reiterated China’s support for peace talks on Tuesday and stated that Beijing has always taken an “objective” and “impartial” stance toward the conflict. Additionally, he stated that he and Putin have “established close relations and developed strategic communication.”
Xi’s statements, which meticulously reaffirmed Beijing’s previous stance on the war, suggested that the talks did not represent a significant advance in the peace efforts.
Nonetheless, Xi’s trip to Moscow, his first state visit since the invasion, has been viewed as a major boost for Putin and provides an opportunity for Moscow to demonstrate that it has not been isolated by the international community.
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Putin endorses China’s disputed peace proposals for Ukraine. Putin stated on Tuesday, following their meeting, that the relationship between Russia and China was “at the pinnacle of its historical development.”
Xi retorted, “Our two sides must enhance communication and cooperate closely to promote new and greater advances in our countries’ practical cooperation.”
Tuesday’s three-hour-long discussions between the two nations included, as anticipated, discussions on expanding economic ties and energy cooperation.
Putin and Xi signed two joint documents by the end of the day: a statement on plans for economic cooperation and a statement on plans for enhancing partnership.
Putin added that the two nations were close to “finalizing” an agreement on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, a significant plan to reroute Russia’s gas exports from Europe to Asia. The pipeline has not been officially approved, but it is anticipated to be operational by 2030.
“We were just discussing an excellent project, the new Power of Siberia 2 pipeline through Mongolia,” Putin told Xi that virtually all terms of the agreement had been finalized.
Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia as China’s leading oil supplier in the first two months of 2023, according to data released by the Chinese government this week. This occurred as buyers purchased sanctioned Russian oil at steep discounts.
Earlier in the day, Xi extended an invitation to Putin to visit China this year as a symbolic gesture of support after the ICC arrest warrant severely restricted the Russian leader’s ability to travel.
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During a Tuesday morning meeting with the Russian prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, as part of his state visit to Moscow, the Chinese leader extended the invitation.
Putin has only traveled outside the former Soviet Union once, to Iran, since his troops invaded Ukraine in February of last year.
Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, stated that the warrant pushes the Russian leader further into the orbit of China.
“The arrest warrant for Putin only increases Chinese leverage over Russia, if anything.” “Because Putin will likely be more circumspect in his international travels in the future, China will become a few safe destinations where the Russian president is always welcome,” said Gabuev.
Unexpectedly, the meeting between Xi and Putin would be mirrored in Kyiv, where the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, was on his way to meet with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
It is anticipated that Kishida and Zelenskiy will discuss Japanese support for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Japan joined the United States and other nations in imposing sanctions on Russia, prompting Moscow to add Japan to its list of “hostile” nations.
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With Japan scheduled to host this year’s G7 summit in May in Hiroshima, Kishida was under pressure to become the group’s only leader to visit Kyiv.
In light of concerns that Russia has not ruled out the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Hiroshima’s representative Kishida has pledged to use his G7 presidency to promote nuclear disarmament.
NHK, the public broadcaster of Japan, broadcast footage of Kishida boarding a train in the Polish border city of Przemyl. According to the foreign ministry, he will also meet with his Polish counterpart before returning to Japan on Thursday.
China has attempted to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, but the United States has stated that Beijing’s actions may be a “stalling tactic” to aid Moscow. The United States has accused China of considering arms exports to Russia, which China has vehemently denied.
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Blinken stated that Xi’s visit to Moscow “indicates that China feels no obligation to hold the president accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine.” And rather than condemning, it would provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue committing these heinous crimes.”
Zelenskiy has stated that he would welcome talks with Xi, even though Beijing has not indicated such plans.
Moscow and Beijing have increased their cooperation in recent years to counterbalance US global dominance.
Analysts have stated that it is unlikely that Xi’s efforts in Ukraine will result in a cessation of hostilities, but his trip is being closely monitored in western capitals.
Tuesday, state-run Chinese media praised Xi’s visit, focusing primarily on his remarks and the strength of the bilateral relationship. None of the articles mentioned the recent arrest warrant issued by the ICC for Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes.
China Daily quoted Xi as saying, “The two sides have set a fine example for developing a new model of major country relations characterized by mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.”
Exchanges between the two leaders are “the compass and anchor of China-Russia relations,” which are “brimming with new vitality and dynamism” under Xi and Putin, according to Xinhua. The masthead’s online front page was covered with multiple reports, and a separate page was devoted to the visit.
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