France advisor & China FM discuss peace in Ukraine during call
3 Min Read
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and French Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Emmanuel Bonne discuss, during a phone call, paths to establish a framework that can be used as a basis for future negotiations.
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A Chinese honor guard holds a French national flag during a welcome ceremony for the French President Emmanuel Macron outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, April 6, 2023. (AP)
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the French Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Emmanuel Bonne agreed, during phone call on Monday, to “create conditions to begin the political settlement process” for the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Beijing last April, he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have achieved a series of strategic consensus with the intention of implementation.
As such, Bloomberg reported that Macron tasked Bonne with establishing a framework, alongside his Chinese counterpart, that can be used as a basis for future negotiations. However, the outlet also reported that there is no indication as to whether or not Macron has any support from Kiev or the collective West regarding his decision.
It is worth noting that Bloomberg previously reported that future negotiations will be bound by the results of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and whether it would allow Kiev to negotiate from a position of strength. It has also been reportedly noted that the collective West has repeatedly dismissed any peace proposal that allowed Russia to maintain territories it has captured, including the regions that have chosen to accede to the Russian Federation.
Earlier in April, Macron said, following his meeting with the Chinese President, that China could play a major role in finding a "path to peace" in Ukraine. "China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role," he indicated.
The French leader also said France would engage "in this shared responsibility for peace and stability."
China's envoy warns EU of Ukraine conflict spillover if left unsolved
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in May 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.
Read more: Cambodia joins countries supporting China peace plan for Ukraine war
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.
Read more: Kissinger: China to bring war in Ukraine to negotiations by year's end
