Only political settlement can solve Ukraine crisis, says China

China has said that the conflict has grown increasingly unpredictable since fighting broke out last year.

Only a political settlement can resolve the conflict in Ukraine, China's deputy UN envoy has said, calling on the international community to seek a peaceful end to the crisis after Beijing advanced its own plan to halt the fighting.

As part of an open meeting on Ukraine at the UNSC, Beijing's deputy permanent UN representative, Geng Shuang, proposed a four-point framework for future peace efforts, saying the global body should work together to prevent the situation from getting out of control. The evolution of the battlefield situation shows that military means cannot solve the Ukraine crisis, and the continuation of the conflict will only bring more harm to civilians and may even lead to unpredictable and irreparable situations, he said. It will eventually be resolved through political measures, even if the crisis lasts a long time. The Chinese framework seeks for talks between Moscow and Kiev, limiting the possible impact on the crisis, addressing humanitarian concerns, and guaranteeing nuclear safety and security in particular at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.

The UN envoy argued that a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept should be ensured in any solution to the conflict. Although he did not cite the NATO alliance by name, he said last year the Ukraine crisis erupted due to expanding military blocs, which can only bring turmoil and unrest to Europe and the entire world. China unveiled a 12-point roadmap designed to end the fighting, calling for a resumption of talks and arguing that the autonomy and territorial integrity of all nations should be upheld. The Chinese government has repeatedly criticized the unconditional sanctions against Moscow and argued that NATO expansion in Europe is the cause of the conflict in Ukraine.

The initiative received a favorable reception in Moscow, with top officials in the Kremlin signaling their willingness to discuss it further. The proposal, however, was soon rejected by Kiev and some Western backers, who accused Beijing of supporting Russia's interests.