HomeNewsUkraine: Ex-ambassador Melnyk believes in Chinese mediator role
Incidentally, the former ambassador of Ukraine Andriy Melnyk sees the phone call between the heads of state Zelenskyy and Xi as a „big step forward“.
Andriy Melnyk, former ambassador of Ukraine. Michael Kappeler/dpa
Andriy Melnyk, the former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, believes that China could play a peacemaking role as a mediator in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. That is „not unrealistic,“ the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Sunday edition).
The Chinese, of course, would pursue their own interests, he conceded. But he does believe „that a just, peaceful solution and the end of hostilities are more in Beijing’s interests than this massive, never-ending earthquake for the entire world order,“ said Melnyk.
Melnyk: Phone call between Xi and Zelenskyy as „big step forward“
He described the phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Chinese President Xi Jinping as a „great step forward in strengthening our relations with China and ending Russian aggression“. For Ukraine, however, the withdrawal of all Russian troops from the occupied territories is an indispensable prerequisite, stressed Melnyk. The devil is in the details. „Therefore, we are excited to see what the special envoy of China who will come to us soon will bring,“ the diplomat said.
Xi and Zelenskyy spoke on the phone on Wednesday for the first time since Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine began. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported after the phone call that Xi told Zelenskyy that „talks and negotiations are the only way out“ of the war.
In order to reach a „political agreement“ in the conflict, Beijing wants to send a high-ranking delegation to Ukraine. China describes itself as neutral in the conflict and presented a twelve-point plan to end the Ukraine war in February. Beijing has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.