China has said that it will “continue to play a constructive role in easing the tension over Ukraine” even as Ukraine’s top diplomat asked the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, to help mediate a ceasefire in the face of a Russian invasion, CNN reported. 

Foreign Minister spokesperson Wang Wenbin, in a briefing, Wednesday, said, “China always supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, welcomes the launch of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and hopes that the two sides will continue the process of dialogue and negotiation and seek a political solution that accommodates the legitimate security concerns of both sides”.

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Further, CNN reported that the Chinese foreign ministry released a statement saying Ukraine’s Dmytro Kuleba spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, over a phone call. There, Ukraine noted it was willing to remain in communication with China and expected mediation to help realize a ceasefire. 

Speaking to CNN, Kuleba also said that China had promised a “peaceful solution” when it came to diplomatic talks to stop the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The Ukrainian foreign minister appealed to his Chinese counterpart to “take advantage of their leverage on Putin, of their relations with Russia, and urge Putin to stop this war immediately”. 

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Notably, China has begun evacuating its citizens from Ukraine as well. Unlike most countries, China hadn’t urged its citizens to leave before Russian president Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine. Rather, they’d decried West’s fears of an invasion. 

Even after the army entered, China remained hesitant to label it an invasion and told nationals in Ukraine to remain at home or display the Chinese flag if they needed to go out. 

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Throughout the long-drawn troop buildup and escalating tensions between Putin and NATO countries, China has supported Russia. It constantly urged the world to pay heed to Russia’s security concerns, calling them legitimate. Moreover, China also expressed disapproval when sanctions were initially levied against Russia, but in recent times, the country has expressed sorrow for the situation in Ukraine.