Ukraine’s Zelenskyy has not seen Chinese peace plan but would welcome meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday he had not seen any Chinese plan for ending Russia’s war on Ukraine, but that “it would be desirable” for Chinese and Ukrainian representatives to meet.

He said on the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that Kyiv had already communicated the desire for such a meeting.

“We would like to meet with China,” he said during a news briefing in Kyiv with visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. “This is in the interests of Ukraine today.”

China’s top diplomat has said Beijing will set out its position on settling the Ukraine conflict through political means in a document that will reference principles from the United Nations’ founding charter and take into account territorial integrity, sovereignty and security concerns.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to deliver a “peace speech” on the February 24 anniversary of Moscow’s invasion.

Zelenskyy said he had heard only “general things” about China’s proposals through Ukrainian diplomats, but that it was encouraging that China was considering brokering peace.