China's envoy warns EU of Ukraine conflict spillover if left unsolved

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The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that China’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui urged European officials during his tour in Europe to end the war in Ukraine, noting that its continuation will inevitably result in a spillover across the continent. 

The Chinese diplomat had just recently concluded a tour across several countries in Europe with the purpose of promoting China's peace plan for Ukraine. 

The official reportedly embarked on a visit to six capitals, including Kiev, Warsaw, Berlin, Paris, and Brussels, and just recently held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Friday. 

Throughout his tour, Li Hui called on his European counterparts to make sound decisions, away from US pressures, and pursue an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine that would recognize Russian sovereignty over the former Ukrainian territories, the report notes. 

According to sources familiar with the matter, ruling out Beijing's efforts in mediating the conflict is still too early. They further alleged that China may be incapable of mediating a truce considering its close relations with Moscow, the report adds. 

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One of the sources interviewed by WSJ reportedly told Liu that freezing the conflict is "not in the interest of the international community" unless Russia withdraws its troops. 

They added that "it’s impossible to split Europe from America" and that Europe would not cease to provide assistance for Kiev.

In February, China released a 12-point document entitled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," which underscores respect for the sovereignty of all countries, the cessation of hostilities, and the resumption of peace talks between Moscow and Kiev. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that some of the provisions of the plan could be a basis for a peace settlement "if the West and Kiev are ready for it."

On May 18, after a meeting was concluded between Hui and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry saying that Kuleba “emphasized that Ukraine does not accept any proposals that would involve the loss of its territories or the freezing of the conflict".

The Ukrainian foreign ministry's statement further relayed that Kuleba encouraged Chinese approval in implementing Zelensky’s peace formula, which aims to restore Ukrainian control over all its lands.

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