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[[China says that it will send a peace envoy to Ukraine and other countries and that it wants to act as a mediator in the Russia's war on Ukraine. Both Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed they spoke by phone Wednesday, a conversation Kyiv has been asking for. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptUS – RUSSIA – UKRAINE
HEADLINE: China Offers to Act as Mediator in Russian War With Ukraine
TEASER: Some experts are skeptical about whether China can play peacemaker
PUBLISHED AT: 4/26/2023 at 8:30 p.m.
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Jepsen, Reifenrath, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Saine Zoom interview, AFP, AP, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:55
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO: ))
[[China says that it will send a peace envoy to Ukraine and other countries and that it wants to act as a mediator in the Russia's war on Ukraine. Both Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed they spoke by phone Wednesday, a conversation Kyiv has been asking for. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
Amid Russian shelling and destruction in eastern Ukraine, China surprised the world Wednesday with this announcement.
((Yu Jun, China Ministry of Foreign Affairs)) [in Chinese with English VoiceOver done by Kevin]
"The Chinese side will send a special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs to visit Ukraine and other countries to conduct in-depth communication with all parties for a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis."
((NARRATOR))
China made several public announcements Wednesday calling attention to its diplomatic initiative toward Ukraine, saying that Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy had been asking to speak with Xi and took to Twitter to welcome the conversation.
In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby welcomed the news of the leaders' conversation, saying, “It's important for President Xi and PRC [People's Republic of China] officials to avail themselves of the Ukrainian perspective on this illegal and unprovoked invasion by Russia.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow sees "broad concord" with China's approach but that the main obstacle is what she termed Kyiv's "unrealistic demands.”
Xi visited Moscow in March. Beijing has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or demand withdrawal of its troops, instead calling for restraint by all parties and accusing NATO of fomenting the fighting. This leaves most foreign policy experts skeptical that China can play the peacemaker.
Michael Kimmage of The Catholic University of America told VOA there was no way China was offering a useful diplomatic framework for ending this conflict.
((Michael Kimmage, The Catholic University of America)) ((Zoom))
"It's going to play a role in Ukraine's reconstruction. And it's a big economic actor, and it's a major country. But it's not as if China is for the time being, and for the foreseeable future, any kind of realistic alternative to any of the actors in the war itself.”
((NARRATOR))
Kimmage said there are economic factors at play.
((Michael Kimmage, The Catholic University of America)) ((Zoom))
"China and Ukraine had a pretty substantial economic relationship. Before the war, I believe that China was Ukraine's largest trading partner, and China has a network of economic interests in the region, you know, not just in Ukraine, but in the broader region.”
((NARRATOR))
Meanwhile, jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Wednesday he could face life in prison on terrorism charges, with authorities preparing a major new trial against him. Human rights organizations and Western governments are calling for his release, saying the charges against him are absurd.
Cindy Saine, VOA News
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateApril 26, 2023 23:38 EDT
Byline
Cindy Saine, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
