China has announced that it will not attend the Ukraine peace conference scheduled for mid-June in Switzerland, confirming an earlier Reuters report.
According to Reuters, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said that the arrangements for the meeting “still fall far short” of China’s requests.
“The general expectations of the international community, making it difficult for China to participate,” he said.
The Swiss conference, aimed at finding a path to peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, is set for 15-16 June, shortly after the Group of Seven meeting in Italy.
According to Mao, China has insisted that “an international peace conference should be endorsed by Russia and Ukraine, with the equal participation of all parties…Otherwise, it will be difficult to play a substantive role in restoring peace.”
Reuters reports that China briefed some diplomats this week about its decision to decline the invitation, citing conditions that had not been met. One of the sources said these conditions included “that the conference should be recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, there should be equal participation by all parties.”
The Ukrainian embassy in Beijing expressed regret over China’s decision, stating, “We are very sorry that the Chinese side does not use the opportunity to present its position on the platform of the Summit in Switzerland.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed on 30 May that China could arrange a peace conference in which Russia and Ukraine participate.
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