Kyiv's top diplomat discusses ‘need to restore just peace’ in Ukraine during talks with China’s Wang

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday he met his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, in Munich to discuss bilateral relations and the “need to restore just peace” amid the war between Kyiv and Moscow.

The two met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Kuleba wrote on X that he informed Wang about Ukraine’s “vision for the upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland.”

The Swiss government is expected to host the summit at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but details have yet been made public.

“We agreed on the need to maintain Ukraine-China contacts at all levels and continue our dialogue,” the Ukrainian foreign minister added.

Wang and Kuleba held a similar meeting during the same Conference last year. The pair have spoken on the telephone since Moscow launched its “special military operation” on Kyiv in February 2022.

Beijing has yet to release a statement on the meeting between Wang and Kuleba.

Earlier, the Chinese foreign minister defended Beijing’s ties with Moscow while addressing the Conference.

“No matter how the world changes, China is a responsible major country that will keep its major principles and policies consistent and stable,” said Wang. “In a turbulent world. China will be a force for stability.”

On Ukraine, he stressed that China had been “working relentlessly to promote peace and peace talks.”

Wang, however, added there were “not ripe conditions in place for parties to go back to the negotiating table.”

China has not condemned Russia’s “special military operation” but has insisted on respecting the territorial integrity of sovereign nations.​​​​​​​

China’s President Xi Jinping has visited Moscow, held telephone calls and exchanged views with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he spoke just once with Zelensky.

Beijing’s special envoy on Eurasia Li Hui has visited Kyiv and Moscow and held talks with officials following Russia’s move against Ukraine.