Xi Jinping and Putin Unite in Calling for a 'Political Solution' to the Ukraine War

Joint Press Conference After Summit
Leaders of Both Countries: "Building a New Security Framework of Respect and Balance"
Aiming at US-led Order, "Will Lead Multipolarization"

Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was on a state visit to China on the 16th, and announced that they agreed on the necessity of a 'political solution' to the Ukraine war.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), President Xi said at a joint press conference following the summit with President Putin, "Both countries consistently recognize that politically resolving the Ukraine crisis is the right direction."

President Xi stated, "China's position on this issue is consistent and clear. We adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, respect the legitimate security concerns of all parties, and aim to build a balanced, effective, and sustainable new security framework." He also expressed willingness to play a constructive role in the early restoration of peace and stability on the European continent.

President Putin also explained that Russia is actively cooperating with China to resolve the Ukraine issue. According to AFP and TASS news agencies, President Putin told President Xi that he would provide detailed information on the situation in Ukraine and expressed gratitude, saying, "We appreciate the initiatives of our Chinese colleagues and friends to regulate the situation."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also mentioned that they communicate with China in various ways, adding, "Thanks to this, we can discuss even the most difficult issues," and explained, "This is to maintain personal control over all urgent matters concerning the international agenda of Russia and China."

China has adopted the 'four principles' as basic guidelines for the 'political solution' to the Ukraine war, which President Xi mentioned during talks with the German and French leaders in March 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These principles are: respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, adhering to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respecting the legitimate security concerns of all countries, and supporting efforts that contribute to the peaceful resolution of the crisis. On this day, President Xi newly mentioned the 'building of a balanced, effective, and sustainable new security framework' in addition to the four principles.

President Putin responded to President Xi by saying, "We believe it is necessary to move toward building a reliable and appropriate security structure in the Asia-Pacific region that does not belong to exclusive military-political alliances," and added, "We consider the creation of such alliances to be very harmful and unproductive."

China has outwardly maintained a 'neutral' stance on the Ukraine war, but it is interpreted as siding with Russia, which is concerned about the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s influence. During a video conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November last year, President Xi supported Russia by stating that the causes of the escalation of the Ukraine war and the Middle East war lie in "partially favoring one side while ignoring the legitimate demands of the other."

At the press conference, the two leaders also expressed their determination to lead political and economic multipolarization, implying the need to move away from the US-led system. President Putin emphasized, "Both countries prefer the rehabilitation of global economic governance and the reform and depoliticization of multilateral organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Group of Twenty (G20), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)." President Xi also said, "China and Russia promote the building of a multipolar world and the process of economic globalization through genuine multilateralism," adding, "China and Russia firmly uphold the international system centered on the UN and the world order based on international law, and cooperate closely on multilateral platforms such as the UN, APEC, and G20."

Regarding the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, President Xi explained, "President Putin and I agreed that resolving the Palestine-Israel conflict is urgent," and added, "UN resolutions must be effectively implemented, and the Palestine issue should be resolved based on the 'two-state solution.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.