24 July 2024

On July 24, in Guangzhou, China, Minister of Foreign Affairs of UkraineDmytro Kuleba held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi.

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers followed up on contacts between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The main topic of discussion was the search for ways to stop Russian aggression and China’s possible role in achieving a lasting and just peace.

“I am convinced that a just peace in Ukraine is in China’s strategic interests, and China’s role as a global force for peace is important,” said Dmytro Kuleba during a meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Guangzhou.

Minister Kuleba emphasized that “Russian aggression has destroyed peace and slowed down development, and each new day of war entails new violations of humanity and further erosion of justice.

“Therefore, it is necessary to end the war against Ukraine, restore peace and accelerate the restoration of our country”.

The Minister briefed his colleague on the results of the Peace Summit in Switzerland and explained the logic of further steps in implementing the Peace Formula as a way to a just end to Russian aggression.

Dmytro Kuleba restated Ukraine’s established position that it is ready to engage the Russian side in the negotiation process at a certain stage, when Russia is ready to negotiate in good faith, but emphasised that no such readiness is currently observed on the Russian side.

During the talks the parties also exchanged views on the current state and prospects for the development of bilateral relations, as well as the international agenda.

Dmytro Kuleba reminded that Ukraine has recently started negotiations on joining the European Union and this decision is irreversible. “I propose to discuss our bilateral relations today, in particular through the prism of Ukraine’s future membership in the EU and China’s relations with Europe,” the head of the Ukrainian diplomacy said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister emphasized that Russian aggression is not only an obstacle to Ukraine’s development. It also hinders international stability, the development of good neighbourly relations, and in particular the development of trade relations between China and Europe.”

(C) Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs