‘Stop sending weapons, hold talks’ to end Russia-Ukraine war

China’s envoy Li Hui says Kiev’s allies must stop sending weapons to the battlefield to achieve peace.

Ukraine’s allies should stop sending weapons to Kiev and start negotiations to bring lasting peace, China’s envoy for Eurasian affairs said.

Li Hui’s call came as Washington and many European countries were ramping up supplies of missiles, tanks and other weapons for Ukrainian forces trying to take back Russian-held territory.

“If we really want to stop the war, save lives and achieve peace, we have to stop sending weapons to the battlefield,” Li told reporters in Beijing on Friday.

“The painful lessons of how the crisis in Ukraine developed into the current state deserve deep reflection by all parties.”

Li said there are currently “a lot of difficulties” to sit down and start talks to end the war. He added that those waging the war are “not without points of consensus”.

“The two sides have not completely closed the door to peace talks,” Li insisted.

The Chinese envoy toured European capitals last month to promote peace talks with Ukraine.

In May, Li completed a 12-day tour of Kiev, Warsaw, Paris, Berlin, Brussels and Moscow in what China said was an attempt to find common ground for an eventual political settlement.

“The risk of escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine is still high,” Li said, adding that all parties must take concrete measures to “cool down the situation” and ensure the safety of nuclear facilities.

The government of Chinese leader Xi Jinping says it is neutral and wants to serve as a mediator, but has supported Moscow politically.

In February, Beijing issued a proposed peace plan, but Ukraine’s allies insisted that President Vladimir Putin first withdraw Russian troops.

Beijing has refused to criticize the invasion and used its status as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to fend off diplomatic attacks on Russia.

arm Ukraine

The United States, the largest supplier of arms to Ukraine, has so far provided some $37 billion in military aid since last year’s invasion.

Most of that was in weapons systems, millions of ammunition and rounds of ammunition, and an array of trucks, sensors, radars and other equipment that were taken from Pentagon stockpiles and quickly shipped to Ukraine.

European countries have also stepped up their military aid to Kiev amid calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky to further bolster arms.

Last month, the United Kingdom promised Ukraine more weapons for its fight against Russia. Britain said it would provide Ukraine with hundreds of additional air defense missiles, as well as “long-range attack drones”.

French President Emmanuel Macron promised his country would provide dozens of light tanks, armored vehicles and more air defense systems.

Despite initial hesitation to supply lethal weapons to Kiev, Germany has become one of Ukraine’s largest suppliers of weapons, including Leopard 1 and 2 main battle tanks and the advanced IRIS-T SLM air defense system.