China Supports President Trump's Efforts To Reach A Deal With Russia To End The War In Ukraine

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Source: Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

China Supports President Trump's Efforts To Reach A Deal With Russia To End The War In Ukraine

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China supports US President Donald Trump's efforts to reach an agreement with Russia to end the war in Ukraine while attending the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (G20 FMM) in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In less than a month serving as president, Donald Trump changed US policies on war, halting a campaign to isolate Moscow by phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as talks between senior US and Russian officials, without representatives of Ukraine and European allies in Saudi Arabia.

"China supports all peace-supporting efforts (in Ukraine), including the latest consensus reached between the United States and Russia," Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the G20 foreign minister according to a statement from his ministry.

"China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in the political resolution of this crisis," he added.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not repeat the statement he made at the Munich Security Conference last Friday, which said all stakeholders in the Russia-Ukraine conflict must participate in every peace negotiations.

"China is generally pleased to see relations between the United States and Russia improving and the Ukraine crisis turning to a political solution, but will pay close attention to the direction of negotiations and direction of improving US-Russian relations," said Cui Hongjian, head of EU studies at Beijing's University of Foreign Studies.

"If China participates in mediation, it could reduce the risk of the United States using improved relations with Russia to harm China's interests," he continued.

He added that Foreign Minister Wang Yi's previous statement that all stakeholders must be included in the talks, not only covering Ukraine and Europe, but also China and Global South countries.

Global South countries represent developing countries, developing countries, or low-income countries, mostly in the southern hemisphere.

However, other analysts are skeptical of China's substantive engagement beyond a rhetorical statement at this stage, given Beijing's reluctance to take geopolitical risks.

"China is happy not to be called directly to convey because they don't know what (President) Trump will demand," said Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

"Initially (President) Trump wanted China's involvement, but now he has spoken with President Putin. He has the impression that he doesn't need China to make a deal with Putin and Putin will give him a perfect and better deal for the future."

Foreign Minister Wang said China-Russia relations "moving towards higher levels and wider dimensions" during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20.

Meanwhile, another analyst believes China wants to remain involved in negotiations because it wants to take part in Ukraine's reconstruction.

"Childs may distract them to discuss China's role in the reconstruction and maintenance of peace ultimately - something that would give Beijing much greater interest in European security architecture," said Ruby Osman, a Chinese expert at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

Trump's Administration said on Tuesday it agreed to hold more talks with Russia to end the nearly three-year conflict.

Russia itself says the talks are useful, but is tightening its demands, especially insisting that it will not tolerate NATO alliances granting membership to Ukraine.