Top Chinese envoy on peace mission to Ukraine, Russia

Special representative’s visit comes as Zelensky meets Sunak in Britain

A top Chinese envoy began a tour of Ukraine, Russia and other European cities yesterday in a trip Beijing says is aimed at discussing a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis.

Li Hui, China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs and former ambassador to Russia, would also visit Poland, France and Germany on the multiday trip, the foreign ministry announced without providing a detailed schedule.

“The visit ... is a testament to China’s efforts towards promoting peace talks, and fully demonstrates China’s firm commitment to peace,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing on Friday.

He is the most senior Chinese official to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded in February last year, and his trip could coincide with the beginnings of a long anticipated counteroffensive by Ukraine to recapture territory seized by Russia.

China’s foreign ministry did not reply to a request for comment on the order of the countries Li will visit, but a Ukrainian government official said yesterday Li would visit Ukraine today and tomorrow.

The visit comes weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the first talks between the two leaders since the war began.

Zelensky described the call as long and meaningful, while Xi said China would focus on promoting peace, though Beijing’s proposals to end the conflict have been met with some scepticism in the West given its ties with Russia.

However, European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen have urged Xi to speak with Zelensky and play a more active role in restraining Moscow’s actions during a string of visits to the Chinese capital from March onwards.

Since February, Beijing has heavily promoted a 12-point proposal for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

But the plan, launched on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, was largely a reiteration of China’s previous lines on the war.

It urged both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation and warned against the use of nuclear weapons.

Kyiv has ruled out the idea of any territorial concessions to Russia and has said it wants every inch of its land back.

Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and since last year has claimed to have annexed four other Ukrainian regions, which Moscow now calls Russian land.

Throughout the war, China has refrained from condemning its strategic ally Moscow or referring to its actions as an invasion, leading to criticism from European countries and the US which have questioned China’s credibility as a potential broker in the conflict.

Meanwhile, Zelensky was due to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Britain yesterday as part of a tour of key European allies ahead of the expected Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Last week Britain became the first country to start supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles, which will allow its forces to hit Russian troops and supply dumps deep behind the frontlines.

Sunak’s office said the British leader would confirm the provision of hundreds of air defence missiles and further unmanned aerial systems including hundreds of new longrange attack drones with a range of over 200km.

Zelensky visited Berlin, Rome and Paris over the weekend to meet European leaders as he seeks to drum up further military and financial support for Ukraine.

“Today — London. The UK is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air. This cooperation will continue today,” Zelensky said on Twitter.

“I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.”

The British government said Zelensky had arrived in Britain and would meet Sunak at his Chequers country residence.

“This is a crucial moment in Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war,” Sunak said.

“They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks.”

After the US, Britain has been one of the largest suppliers of military aid to Ukraine.

Zelensky was also scheduled to deliver a speech to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit yesterday via video link.