France Urges China to Push Russia Toward ‘Good-Faith’ Ukraine Peace Talks

France is urging China to use its influence over Russia to persuade Moscow to be serious in peace talks about bringing its war in Ukraine to an end.

While Russian and American negotiators have been meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss partial ceasefire terms, Russia is still widely seen as not having pulled back from its maximalist war goals.

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at Beijing’s ornate Diaoyutai state guesthouse on Thursday morning that they had held “frank, constructive, and in-depth discussions.”

China and France must “coordinate to promote a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Barrot said.

“China also has a role to play in convincing Russia to come to the negotiating table with serious and good-faith proposals,” he stated.

That said, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t mention Ukraine in its press release following the ministers’ meeting. Beijing stated that the foreign ministers discussed China-EU relations, their development, economic issues, and climate.

“France opposes any form of trade war and advocates dialogue on trade issues, particularly between the European Union and China,” Barrot said. He added that both sides were seeking a “rapid solution” to China’s tariffs on EU brandy.

In response, Wang said China would “further strengthen our strategic coordination on international and regional hotspot issues.”

Other Topics of Interest

Polish Far-Right Calls for Block of Ukraine’s EU Bid Over ‘Heroes of the UPA’ Unit

Polish far-right leader Krzysztof Bosak said Poland should block Ukraine’s EU membership bid in response to Kyiv’s decision to grant an elite military unit the honorary title “Heroes of the UPA.” The comments mark the latest escalation in a growing dispute over the legacy of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which – eight decades later – remains one of the most sensitive issues in Polish-Ukrainian relations.

China claims it maintains a neutral stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine. However, while Beijing officially refrains from providing military aid to either side, Chinese companies continue to supply Russia with a substantial portion of the parts that go into its weapons and materiel.

Moreover, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping maintain close personal ties. Putin last visited China in May 2024, and economic cooperation between the two countries continues to grow.