In announcing Xi’s visit to Moscow, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang (秦剛) said Beijing’s ties with Moscow are a significant world force. “We highly appreciate the restrained, well-balanced position of the Chinese leadership on this issue,” Ushakov said.Ĭhinese officials have been boasting about their newfound clout in the international arena as their country’s foreign policy has become increasingly assertive under Xi. Kremlin spokesman Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Xi have “very special friendly and trusting personal ties,” and hailed Beijing’s peace plan. She said the visit reflects not so much China’s desire for peace, but its desire to play a major role in whatever post-conflict settlement might be reached.Įven if China stops short of providing military assistance to Russia, Moscow sees Xi’s visit as a powerful signal of Chinese backing that challenges Western efforts to isolate Russia and deal crippling blows to its economy. “Under such conditions, these peace talks won’t be directed toward peace,” said Nataliia Butyrska, a Ukrainian analyst on politics related to Eastern Asia. “We need to be aware that such peace talks are a trap for Ukraine and its diplomatic corps,” said Yurii Poita, who heads the Asia section at the Kyiv-based New Geopolitics Research Network. Speaking before the ICC warrant was issued, Ukrainian analysts cautioned against falling into a potential trap ahead of the Xi-Putin meeting. “We do not believe that this is a step towards a just, durable peace,” he said. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called Beijing’s push for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine a “ratification of Russian conquest” and said that Russian forces could use a truce to regroup their positions “so that they can restart attacks on Ukraine at a time of their choosing.” US officials have not minced words when it comes to Xi’s planned visit to Moscow. There is precedent for those previously indicted, notably former Sudanese president Omar Bashir, to have visited ICC members without being detained. If he did, it is questionable whether that country would arrest him. In addition, it is highly unlikely that Putin would travel to a country that would be bound by obligations to the ICC. That means that none of the four countries is bound by the court’s orders, although Ukraine has consented to allowing some ICC probes of crimes on its territory and the US has cooperated with ICC investigations. ![]() Washington, beginning with the administration of former US president Bill Clinton, has refused to join the court, fearing that its broad mandate could result in the prosecution of US troops or officials. Neither China nor Russia - nor the US or Ukraine - have ratified the ICC’s founding treaty. ![]() The arrest warrant, issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday, is unlikely to have a major influence on the meeting or China’s position toward Russia. ![]() The meeting in Moscow is likely to see the two sides recommit to their partnership, which both see as critical to countering what they consider undue and undeserved influence exerted by the US and its Western allies. However, it has also tried to cast itself in a more neutral role, offering a peace plan that was essentially ignored. US officials say Bejing is considering supplying Russia with weapons to support the war. Since then, China has repeatedly sided with Russia in blocking international action against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. It comes as Beijing and Moscow have bolstered ties in steps that began shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a meeting between the two leaders in Beijing at which they declared a “no limits” partnership. The visit to Russia would be Xi’s first foreign trip since being elected to an unprecedented third term as president. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the matter publicly, said the administration hopes the warrants will help mobilize heretofore neutral countries weigh in on the conflict.
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