China To Boycott Swiss-Hosted Ukraine Peace Talks Without Russia

China has emphasized that it will boycott any future Ukraine peace talks if Russian representatives are not present and involved, Politico has reported while previewing an announced trip by China’s Xi Jinping to France, set for early May.

"Officials told POLITICO recently that China is trying to persuade Europe to let Russia sit at the table for future peace talks, potentially in Switzerland — or Beijing will boycott such meetings," the publication said.

"That message was amplified, they say, during Chinese special envoy Li Hui's European tour earlier this month to discuss the future of Ukraine," Politico continues.

Recently the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Li as pledging "support [for] the timely convening of a peace conference with equal participation of all parties." Li is China's former ambassador to Russia.

The special envoy is currently on a tour of Ukraine, Poland, Germany, France, and Russia which started at the beginning of March. According to Newsweek:

Beijing had earlier said that Li was sent to Europe to launch "new shuttle diplomacy" to seek an end to the war in Ukraine. Li visited Russia, the European Union headquarters, Poland, Ukraine, Germany and France from March 2-12, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

When President Xi visits Europe in May, high on the agenda in meetings with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’ and French President Emmanuel Macron will be the Ukraine crisis and finding a way forward.

Beijing has been in favor of a major peace summit, but has warned that it cannot become "a conference that produces a plan that is pushed down the Russians’ throat," according to The South China Morning Post, which quoted Li. 

But Ukraine's President Zelensky has described plans for a "global peace summit" in Switzerland as aimed at restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and ensuring the withdrawal of all Russian forces from the country.

Kiev has been piling on the pressure for China to come to its corner, as a powerful influence which could rein Moscow in. Last week China's ambassador to Ukraine met with a top adviser to Zelensky, to examine renewed efforts for peace negotiations. Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to Zelensky, met with China's ambassador, Fan Xianrong, last Wednesday.

Moscow will no doubt remain firm on never giving up Crimea, and this will likely be true of the four annexed territories in the East as well. Given Ukraine also lacks enough ammo and manpower to sustain the fight, the terms on which the war is eventually settled will not be in Kiev's favor.