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China stated it is open to playing a “constructive role” in resolving the Ukraine crisis after Russia suggested Beijing could be one of the guarantors of Ukrainian security under a peace deal—a proposal that Kyiv rejected.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed that permanent UN Security Council members, including China, could provide a security guarantee for Ukraine as part of an agreement ending Moscow’s invasion. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed this idea. He blamed China for not helping to stop the Russian invasion and for aiding Russia since.
China is a major strategic partner of Russia and has supported its sanctions-hit economy through the invasion with large-scale oil purchases. It holds significant leverage over Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out the proposal, citing China’s inaction during the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 and its role in facilitating the drone market for Russia. He also noted that while China endorsed the Budapest Memorandum—a deal where post-Soviet Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons for security assurances—it did not act when Russia occupied Crimea in 2014.
China argued that it has acted openly on the Ukraine crisis, maintaining an objective and fair stance. Its spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a press briefing: “We believe that all sides should uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept, and work to promote a political resolution of the Ukraine crisis.”
Ukraine’s European allies are formulating plans with U.S. support for ensuring future security and deterring Russian aggression. One option is a collective defense agreement similar to NATO’s Article 5.
The peace process brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump centers on resolving two key issues: Ukrainian security and territorial control. However, Ukraine and Russia remain far apart on both.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that discussing security guarantees without Russian participation is “a road to nowhere.” He also stated that Moscow cannot accept troops from NATO states under a security guarantee proposal.
