Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggested on Tuesday that China could emerge as a “key player” in facilitating an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“I believe China can become, starting from the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that it always appeals to, a key player in helping identify the elements of a just peace,” Meloni told reporters as she continued her five-day trip to China.

According to Bloomberg, Meloni was responding to questions on the Ukraine war.

On Monday, after the Italian prime minister's discussions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Meloni highlighted that Beijing's economic support for Russia was a significant point of “friction.” Notably, official figures show that bilateral trade between Russia and China surged to approximately $240 billion last year.

The US-led Western nations have urged China to use its influence to help end the war by pressuring Moscow. Beijing has declined to condemn Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and called for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.

It was Meloni’s first face-to-face meeting with Chinese leaders, including Premier Li Qiang, since Rome withdrew from the Beijing-funded multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative last year. Despite this, Meloni committed to strengthening relations with Beijing, and the two sides signed a three-year agreement to implement both previous and new decisions.

Wang-Blinken meeting

Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi firmly denied allegations that China is aiding Russia in its war effort in Ukraine during a meeting with his US counterpart Antony Blinken in Laos on July 27.

Wang reiterated Beijing's stance, underlining that his country would "take forceful measures" to defend its interests, a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting, which took place in the capital of Laos on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, highlighted the growing tensions between China and the United States. Wang Yi emphasized that China opposes what it views as unfounded accusations and external pressure.

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Wang Yi reiterated China's commitment to peace, saying, "China's position on the Ukrainian issue is candid, and we will continue to promote peace talks" between Russia and Ukraine.

In a significant diplomatic gesture, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made his first visit to China since the war began, underscoring China's influence in the ongoing conflict. President Xi Jinping recently called on the international community to "create conditions" for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.