China’s special envoy is again heading to Russia and Ukraine. Expectations are low
- Li Hui will also visit the EU headquarters in Brussels, as well as Poland, Germany and France to push for a diplomatic solution to the war
- But analysts say the future of the conflict depends on Moscow and Kyiv, and that the tour is ‘not real mediation’ but part of a ‘charm offensive’
Li Hui will travel to Russia, Ukraine and the European Union headquarters in Brussels during the trip, which begins on Saturday. He will also visit Poland, Germany and France.
It is Li’s second peace mission to the region after a visit in May last year that did not make any immediate progress.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Thursday said the trip was aimed at “building consensus to stop the war and to pave the way for peace talks”. She said China was willing to take a “unique” role in peace efforts.
Two years on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands of people have been killed and there is no end to the war in sight.
Ukraine, running low on ammunition and soldiers, in February lost its stronghold of Avdiivka to the Russians, and Western allies are struggling to keep on top of their promised military support to Ukraine.
Meanwhile in Russia, soaring government spending on the military offensive in Ukraine has driven economic growth despite the US-led sanctions imposed on the country since the start of the war.
Wang Yiwei, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said war fatigue could create possibilities to negotiate a ceasefire. “However, those negotiations will depend on the situation on the battlefield,” he said.