By Sun Zhuangzhi

Malicious attacks occur now and then as the Ukraine crisis continues, resulting in significant casualties among innocent civilians. There is a fat chance of the conflicting parties sitting down for renewed negotiations. Ukraine has issued an "ultimatum" to Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signing a decree passed by the Ukrainian parliament stating that negotiations with Russia are not to be pursued. Russian President Vladimir Putin also asserted his confidence in winning the final victory.

At the same time, there is a perceived slump of Western support for Ukraine. While the US strategically and economically benefits from the Ukraine crisis, internal political polarization and partisan conflicts, coupled with numerous uncertainties brought by the upcoming elections , may make the expected substantial aid to Ukraine fail to materialize. The EU is a conglomerate of nations with similar political stances but different interest demands. Providing assistance and favorable policies to Ukraine means that some member states have to sacrifice their own interests. Therefore, Ukraine is only a secondary option in front of their own interests. In 2023, the aid Ukraine received from the West was only one-third of that in 2022.

In response to the crisis, the "adding fuel to the flame" approach of the Western countries contrasts sharply with China's efforts to promote reconciliation. On the one hand, most countries, including China, won't give up on diplomatic efforts and will continue to actively promote peace talks. On the other hand, Western countries, driven by their hegemonic interests, are unlikely to change their stance. The repercussions of the conflict are expected to expand and its global economic impacts will become more evident. Fluctuations in energy and food markets will become regular and the external environment for the economic development of various nations is deteriorating. More importantly, the Ukraine crisis is causing instability and reconstruction in the European security system, driving profound adjustments in the international landscape and major power relations. The international order will also change as a new balance is being formed. In other words, the conflict is changing the geopolitical landscape, with major power games influencing the policy choices of the opposing sides.

The outbreak of the Ukraine crisis is rooted in long-standing regional conflicts in Europe, the escalation of geopolitical confrontations among major powers after the Cold War, as well as historical grievances among nations and ethnic groups. Ultimately, the Ukraine crisis has to be resolved through negotiations. In a document titled China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis, released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2023, China clearly articulated its stance and presented a comprehensive "Chinese solution" to address the crisis.

At the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, China emphasized that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all nations should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to a peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported. Meanwhile, China dispatched special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui to visit Russia and Ukraine, urging both parties to exercise restraint, protect civilians and civilian facilities, and provide humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people caught in the crossfire.

China calls on the international community to intensify diplomatic mediation efforts and play a constructive role in the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. China supports the UN in its efforts to mediate the conflict and facilitate Ukrainian grain exports. China opposes the selfish actions of sticking to hegemony and Cold War mentality by the US and Western countries and firmly rejectsWestern countries' attempt to exploit the Ukraine crisis to push the world towards bloc confrontation. China opposes arbitrary sanctions and blatant interference in the internal affairs of other countries. China has consistently voiced the call for justice and actively promoted peace talks during the Ukraine crisis. This responsibility as a major power and its persistent efforts are visible to the world.

(The author is the director and researcher of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.)

Editor's note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.