- Beijing has also avoided condemning the Russian military offensive in its meeting with the Ukrainian foreign minister.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dimitri Kuleba and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meeting in New York

China pleads with Ukraine for respect for "territorial integrity"... but does not condemn the Russian invasion

The Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has transferred to his Ukrainian counterpart, Dimitro Kuleba, a message of "respect for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity", during a meeting that both held this Friday on the margins of the UN General Assembly.

Kuleba has collected this message on Twitter, as well as the Chinese rejection of the "use of force" to "resolve differences", both aspects that would summarize the Chinese position in relation to the offensive launched by Russia on Ukraine on February 24.

Beijing has been profiled in this crisis and, in fact, has maintained and even strengthened its ties with Moscow. He has avoided condemning the Russian military offensive, a step that the head of Chinese diplomacy has not taken either in his meeting with Kuleba.

I met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss relations between Ukraine and China. My counterpart reaffirmed China’s respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its rejection of the use of force as a means of resolving differences. pic.twitter.com/4Q6kJxfNJB

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) September 23, 2022

Wang stressed that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected" while asking that "the reasonable security concerns of all parties" be taken into account. The minister has advocated a "peaceful" resolution of the conflict.

Kuleba, for his part, has endorsed the role of China and its influence to play a key role in a possible negotiated solution, according to the official CGTN network. 

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