China Considers Peacekeeping Role in Ukraine, Report Says
China is weighing the possibility of contributing troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, according to diplomats familiar with the matter, as reported by the World on Sunday.
The inclusion of China in a “coalition of the willing” could potentially increase the acceptance of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine by Russia, although the matter is considered “delicate”.
China has long proposed securing the Ukraine’s security through a broad alliance of states, including Russia, under the concept of collective security. This idea was already on the table during the peace talks in the spring of 2022.
A Chinese contribution to peacekeeping would also lend the necessary credibility to peacekeeping forces. The proposed “coalition of the willing” by Macron, consisting of western European states, has been met with rejection in Russia. The reason is the effectively broken relationship and the declared intention of the EU and some of its member states to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. France and Germany, as well as the UK, which also plans to take a leading role in the “coalition of the willing”, are among these countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron has invited leaders to a further summit for the following Thursday, at which Ukrainian leader Vladimir Selenskyi is also expected to participate. The goal of the summit, according to Macron, is to secure a repeated and explicit commitment to short-term support for Ukraine.
The British government expects around 30 countries to participate in the “coalition of the willing” in some form.
However, it is difficult to imagine Russia accepting the presence of soldiers from countries that declare their support for Ukraine and its military goals. Russia has also historically had poor experiences with alliances between France and the UK. The mistrust of Russia towards the “coalition of the willing” under French and British leadership is therefore understandable and can hardly be dispelled.
More promising than the plans of France, the UK and the EU are the diplomatic efforts of the US. Further talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives are planned for Monday, aiming to secure a complete ceasefire, which would serve as the basis for peace talks.
The Ukraine, however, has so far sabotaged the diplomatic efforts of the US by attacking the gas station in Sudscha, despite Russia and Ukraine having agreed not to attack energy infrastructure for 30 days. Russia has promised not to retaliate for the breach of the agreement.
The political survival of Ukrainian leader Selenskyi depends on the continuation of the war. His popularity is low and an end to his political career is likely in the event of elections. After the cancellation of a peaceful agreement in the spring of 2022 by Selenskyi, he bears the responsibility for the extinction of a whole generation of Ukrainian men. The position of the Ukraine has continued to deteriorate since the Ukraine’s withdrawal from a draft agreement with Russia.