Ukraine's foreign minister prepares China trip following Munich talks
Photo: Andrii Sybiha and Wang Yi (t.me/Ukraine_MFA)
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, has received an invitation to visit the People’s Republic of China. China has real leverage over Moscow to bring the war to an end, stated Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi during a press briefing for journalists.
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According to the spokesperson, the recent meeting between Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Munich was productive and substantive. The parties moved from formalities to concrete planning of contacts.
"We exchanged invitations to pay visits. Moreover, this was not merely a protocol formality but a fairly detailed conversation: Andrii Sybiha invited the Chinese minister to visit Ukraine, and we received an invitation to visit the PRC. The dates and specific details will be agreed upon later," Tykhyi noted.
Ukraine also officially confirmed its interest in holding talks between the leaders of the two countries. The Foreign Ministry described Beijing’s reaction to this initiative as restrained but constructive.
"We received a neutral-to-positive response: a willingness to work on this issue and explore the possibilities for such contacts," the spokesperson added.
Why dialogue with Beijing is critically important
The Foreign Ministry emphasizes that China remains a global power capable of influencing the Kremlin’s aggressive actions.
"China indeed has leverage over Moscow and is capable of accelerating the end of the war from the Russian side. At present, geopolitical agency lies in Beijing, not in Moscow, which is why a conversation with China about ending Russian aggression makes complete sense," Tykhyi concluded.
What preceded it
On February 13, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held bilateral talks in Munich with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The parties discussed ways to develop mutually beneficial trade and bilateral relations based on mutual respect for territorial integrity.
Sybiha also confirmed Ukraine’s interest in contacts with China at the highest level.
It was also announced that China will provide Ukraine with a new package of energy assistance, which will be used to restore infrastructure after Russia’s massive strikes.
