China said it is willing to play a “constructive role” in resolving the war in Ukraine after Russia suggested Beijing could act as a security guarantor.
German news outlet Welt, citing anonymous EU sources, reported that China has indicated it is willing to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached.
According to Welt, reactions to China’s announcement were mixed. Some believe that involving countries beyond Ukraine’s Western allies could make the deployment of peacekeeping forces more acceptable to Russia. Others fear that China would “spy on Ukraine” and in the event of a conflict, “will take a clearly pro-Russian position instead of a neutral position.”
“China has always acted openly and above board on the Ukraine crisis, adhering to an objective and fair stance, and all parties are well aware of this,” Mao Ning, spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told Global Times.
“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. China is willing to play a constructive role in this regard,” the spokesperson added.
Deploying foreign troops to Ukraine as part of a “Coalition of the Willing” is one of several proposals being considered to ensure a ceasefire is upheld if a deal with Russia is reached.
According to a Bloomberg report, about 10 European countries, including the U.K., France, Lithuania, and Estonia, are reportedly ready to send forces to Ukraine. The United States has ruled out deploying its own troops but remains open to offering other security guarantees, such as air support.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed China’s proposal, citing the country’s support for Russia. “Why is China not in the guarantees? First, China did not help us stop this war from the beginning,” Zelenskyy said. “Secondly, China helped Russia by opening the drone market.”
Zelenskyy insisted that only countries that have supported Ukraine since the war began in 2022 should serve as guarantors.
