One year after the end of the war, China calls for “dialogue” with Russia and Ukraine and warns against the use of nuclear weapons

China has urged Russia and Ukraine to resume peace talks as soon as possible and warned that nuclear weapons should not be used in this conflict, according to a document released on Friday on the first anniversary of the war.

“All sides should support Russia and Ukraine to work in the same direction and resume direct dialogue as quickly as possible”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in this twelve-point document for a “political solution” to the conflict.

Beijing has also rejected the use of nuclear weaponsdays after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of his participation in a nuclear disarmament treaty with the United States.

“Nuclear weapons should not be used and nuclear wars should never be fought. The threat or use of nuclear weapons must be countered,” the document adds.

Likewise, the text underlined the need to protect civilians: “The parties to the conflict must strictly respect international humanitarian law and avoid attacking civilians or civilian installations”.

The United States immediately criticized the document through President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, who argued that the war “could end tomorrow if Russia stops attacking Ukraine and withdraws its forces.”

“My first reaction is this [el documento] I could finish at point one, which is respecting the sovereignty of nations,” said Jake Sullivan on CNN.

“Russia has already lost this war. Russia’s goals in the war were to wipe Ukraine off the map, absorb it onto the map. They have failed and they are unable to do it,” she insisted.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg expressed skepticism of China’s plan on Friday, saying Beijing “doesn’t have much credibility” in that conflict.

Europe has also come out to validate the document

For his part, German President Frank Walter Steinmeier has also expressed his opinion “doubts” about the “constructive role” that Beijing can play for peace in Ukraine.

China has tried to position itself as a neutral party in this conflict, although it maintains its ties with its strategic ally in Moscow.

The head of his diplomacy, Wang Yi met Putin on Wednesday in the Russian capital and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, during a visit to present his “political solution” to the war.

In a summary of the meeting published by state-run Xinhua news agency, Wang said China wants to “deepen political trust” and “strengthen its strategic coordination” with Russia.

After Wang’s visit, Moscow indicated this Beijing had presented its vision of a “political solution” to the conflict.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he had not seen China’s peace plan and that he wanted to meet Beijing representatives to discuss this proposal before expressing his point of view.

“I think it’s a very positive development in general that China is starting to talk about Ukraine and send signals,” Zelensky said.

The document proves it Beijing “clearly sees the conflict in Ukraine as a product of what it calls the Cold War mentality. and outdated security architecture in Europe,” said Manoj Kewalramani, China expert at the Takshashila Institution in Bangalore, India.

The Group of Seven (G7) will ask countries to refrain from sending military aid to Russiain a virtual summit to be held this Friday, announced the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida.

“In view of the military support to Russia from third countries that has been underlined, the G7 intends to request that such support cease,” Kishida told reporters just hours before Japan chaired the meeting.

Since the start of the Russian invasion, China has offered Putin diplomatic and financial support, but has refrained from getting involved militarily. or send deadly weapons.

State-controlled Chinese companies have sold non-lethal drones and other equipment to both Russia and Ukraine, and Moscow has been forced to turn to Iran for these unmanned combat aircraft.