In Talks With Ukraine, Chinese Envoy Urged All Sides To 'Create Conditions' For Peace Talks

Chinese special envoy Li Hui (file photo)

China's special envoy, who visited Ukraine this week, has warned that there is "no panacea" to the war in Ukraine and urged "all parties" to work toward creating conditions to end the conflict.

Special envoy Li Hui held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and other senior officials on May 16-17 on ways to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict through a political settlement, China's Foreign Ministry said on May 18.

During his meeting with Zelenskiy, Li "explained China's position on the political solution to the Ukrainian crisis," the statement said, adding that Beijing was "willing to make its own efforts to stop the war, declare a cease-fire, and restore peace as soon as possible."

The Chinese statement touted Beijing's humanitarian assistance for Kyiv.

"China has always played a constructive role in alleviating the humanitarian situation in Ukraine in its own way and will continue to provide assistance to Ukraine within its capacity," the statement said.

Kuleba told Li that Kyiv would not accept any proposals to end the war that involved losing territory or freezing the conflict, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

The Ukrainian presidency has not yet commented on the meeting.

Beijing, which has not condemned Russia's aggression against its neighbor, has said Li's trip, the highest by a Chinese official to Ukraine since the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion last year, is aimed at discussing a "political settlement" to the conflict.

Western countries earlier this year dismissed a 12-point Chinese proposal calling for a de-escalation and eventual cease-fire in Ukraine -- mainly because it echoed Russia's main talking points.

Li, a former ambassador to Russia, is also visiting Poland, France, and Germany on his trip.

With reporting by Reuters