It was to be expected that Vladimir Putin’s visit to China would receive a lot of attention. And not just because it was a symbolic visit – after all, China was the first country the Russian leader visited after his “re-election” (although, from another perspective, where else could he go? The list of countries Putin can visit is has significantly limited since Russia’s attack on Ukraine). But also because Putin’s trip seemed to fit into a long diplomatic relay race.
This trip was preceded by visits to Beijing by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Paris and his talks with President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der They read….
It might have seemed that the Chinese president, Xi Jinpingas a leader who has the ability to communicate with both Western leaders and Vladimir Putincould ask the Russian president to use common sense, that is, to end the war.
Indeed, in Beijing the need for a peaceful solution to the conflict was mentioned. However, we had to see for ourselves that the Chinese vision of such a solution differs significantly from the Ukrainian and Western ones.
Already on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s arrival in Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry unveiled its own vision of the end of the war, which could be described as a plan to freeze it without security guarantees and restore the principles of international law, practically destroyed. for Russia.
Play “peacemakers”
Putin was quick to approve this plan before and during his visit to China. Either because he is really interested in a truce or because he is convinced that Ukraine and the West would not approve of such proposals, so he could play the “peacemaker” without any risk. And along with his Chinese counterpart.
What we were really able to observe during Putin’s visit to the Chinese capital were the joint attempts by Russia and China not so much to torpedo the Swiss Peace Summit as to change its agenda, to demonstrate that there are alternative plans for an agreement, to reduce the very idea of ending the war to the idea of a ceasefire.
Such a formulation can create an image of a mediator in the conflict for China, and an image of a “peace-loving country” for Russia. However, for Ukraine it does not guarantee peace or security.
“Injection” for the Global South
However, this approach could be something of a shot in the arm for countries in the Global South. After all, the Swiss summit is designed for their participation, as Western leaders support the Ukrainian approach even without such meetings.
It is symbolic that on the same day that Putin visited Harbin, the presidents of South Africa and Brazil, Cyril Ramaphosa and Lula da Silvatwo old friends from Russia and China, will reject the invitation to the summit.
And, in reality, this is the main task of Moscow and Beijing: to reduce the level of participation, convince that the trip is inappropriate, reduce the number of participants and, at the summit itself, ensure that peace plans compete with each other. and that an “ineffective” resolution be adopted.
Because in this case, China – now on behalf of many countries of the “global south” – will be able to remind us that the West has failed in its peacekeeping mission and that there is simply no alternative to Russian-Ukrainian negotiations (under the auspices Chinese?). And it is for this reason that Putin and Xi Jinping are making great efforts not so much to disrupt the Swiss Peace Summit as to change its content and perspectives.
Vitaliy Portnykov He is a journalist and political commentator, columnist for Radio Svoboda and Krym.Realii
