China Seizes Chance to Play Peacemaker in Ukraine Before US Vote
- Kyiv bracing for US retreat in support after November election
- Beijing bolstering influence abroad as it counters Washington
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Chinese President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts to position himself as a peacemaker for ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite growing criticisms from the US and Europe that Beijing is propping up the Kremlin’s battlefield efforts.
With Moscow and Kyiv facing pressure at home and abroad to find a way to end the war, China last week hosted its first senior official from Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022. While Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba the time was “not yet ripe” for peace talks, he said both sides were now signaling a willingness to negotiate.