Ukraine war: China unlikely to be swayed by EU leaders but talks may be ‘starting point’

Conflict is expected to be high on the agenda when Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen meet Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital this week

They are likely to urge Beijing to use its influence with Moscow to bring an end to the conflict, but analysts do not see China changing its stance

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French President Emmanuel Macron has said Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine is the only way for peace. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 11:00pm, 2 Apr 2023

There is little chance China will change its position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when European leaders visit Beijing this week, but the talks could be a “starting point” to find common ground, analysts say.

The war in Ukraine is expected to be high on the agenda when French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.

They are likely to again urge Beijing to use its sway with Moscow to bring an end to the conflict, the latest European leaders to do so. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Xi to exert influence on Russia in November when he visited Beijing, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also discussed Ukraine with Xi when he visited the Chinese capital last week.

Beijing’s efforts to position itself as a peacemaker have been under close scrutiny in recent weeks. While China brokered an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to restore relations earlier this month, seven years after ties were cut, Xi’s talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin – reaffirming their close ties – were met with scepticism from the West.

Zha Daojiong, an international political economy professor who specialises in China-Europe relations at Peking University, said Xi’s meetings with Macron and von der Leyen this week could be a start to find a solution to the Ukraine crisis.

“It is possible that China, the European Commission and France will reiterate their adherence to [respecting] sovereignty and territorial integrity – the first point in China’s 12-point position paper – as the starting point for reaching an eventual resolution to the conflict,” said Zha, referring to Beijing’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine released in February.

“But neither China nor the European Commission or France is in a position to effect change in the positions [of others] on Ukraine.”

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