Russian President Putin lauds China's peace plan in the Ukraine conflict

President Putin and President Jinping. File Photos.

Russian President Vladimir Putin showed support for China's peace plan amid the ongoing military tussle with Ukraine, calling it a "genuine desire" to bring an end to the hostilities, Al Jazeera reported.

According to an ANI report, during his two-day visit to China to meet with President Xi Jinping, Putin praised Beijing's strategy, saying it understood the conflict's "root causes" and its "global geopolitical significance."

China's 12-point proposal for putting an end to the conflict had received a mixed response upon its release last year. Putin, however, praised the new policies announced last month, calling them "pragmatic and constructive steps" that "elaborate on the imperative to transcend the Cold War mindset," according to Xinhua.

Jinping's additional principles, defined during discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, advocate for de-escalation, the establishment of conditions conducive to peace and stability, and softening the blow on the global economy.

Mykhailo Podolyak, the presidential advisor to Ukraine, referred to Putin's remarks on possible peace talks as "hypocritical," according to Al Jazeera. Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday, marking his first overseas trip since his re-election in March and his second visit to China in just over six months. Furthermore, he's going to a trade and investment exhibit in the northeastern city of Harbin.

Only a few days before Moscow's purported invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the friendship between China and Russia was proclaimed to have "no limits." Beijing has not directly supported Russia militarily, but in the extraordinary sanctions the West imposed in reaction to Russia's military activities, Beijing has become an important economic partner.

Trade between the two countries has increased, with China gaining from cheap imports of Russian energy and easy access to a wealth of natural resources, notably steady gas exports through the Power of Siberia pipeline. China continues to exercise caution in light of the prolonged trade battle with the United States, even despite the economic gains. The two economic giants' tense relations have worsened since the US recently imposed significant tariffs on several Chinese exports.

Furthermore, as reported by Al Jazeera, the US has imposed sanctions on many entities, including Chinese enterprises, to impede Russia's military capabilities, in response to China's claimed backing for Russia's actions in Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed grave concern over the situation and reaffirmed Washington's determination to enforce sanctions against businesses connected to China's purported assistance for Russia's military operations in Ukraine. Russia views the conflict in Ukraine as a struggle against a 'collective West' that disregarded its security concerns by advocating for the expansion of NATO and conducting military activities near its borders.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pushing for China's involvement in a peace summit that is set to take place in Switzerland in June. But Russia, which is not allowed to attend the summit, rejects the idea as meaningless and maintains that talks need to take into account the "new realities." Al Jazeera claimed that as part of Zelenskyy's efforts to win support for Ukraine, he asked the US for Patriot missile defence systems to guard Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border, from Russian soldiers that are still making advances in the area.

(With Inputs from ANI)