While Vladimir Putin received the highest Chinese diplomat on Wednesday, Western workers are worried about possible deliveries of Chinese lethal weapons to Russia. China has promised the imminent publication of a “peace plan”.
by Frédéric Lemaître (Beijing, correspondent), Benoît Vitkine (Moscow, correspondent) and Philippe Ricard
A year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, China seems to strengthen its support in Moscow. Wang Yi, director of the office of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCC) – a higher rank than that of Minister – went to Moscow, on February 21 and 22. After meeting with Nikolai Patrouchev, head of the National Security Council, and Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, he was received by Vladimir Putin himself. The Russian president welcomed it around a reasonable size table, breaking with the distance reserved for certain higher row hosts. Behind this symbol, we can perceive a mark of friendship and confidence as much as deference to a partner who has become vital for Moscow.
Anxious to highlight the quality of bilateral relations, the chief of the Kremlin recalled the sharp increase in trade between the two countries, which increased by 29.3 % in 2022 to increase to 190.27 billion dollars ( Nearly 180 billion euros). The strengthening of these exchanges, which has become essential to a brutally deprived Russian economy of part of its links with Europe, undoubtedly imports more in Moscow than the Chinese promises to contribute to peace in Ukraine. China has announced the imminent publication of a “document to seek political regulation for the crisis in Ukraine”.
Dmytro Kuleba, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ukrainian, said that Mr. Wang had presented him the “key elements” of this plan, on the sidelines of the Munich security conference, held 17 As of February 19, but that he could not comment without having studied it. “The Chinese partners told us about their reflections on the deep causes of the Ukrainian crisis, as well as on their approaches for its political rules,” said Lavrov, adding: “He was not Question of a separate peace plan. “
XI Jinping expected
The day after these exchanges on Thursday, the Chinese media were cautious and already pointed out the responsibility of the United States in the failure of Beijing mediation. “As Kiev is deeply influenced by Washington who is not interested in an immediate ceasefire, but prefers a prolonged conflict to continue to weaken Moscow and change the status quo by force, it is really difficult to find a Formula achievable for a peace that each party can accept, “writes the Global Times.
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