China is willing to help with peace talks on Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at the Group of 20 summit in Bali.
“China will continue to uphold an objective and fair position and play a constructive role in persuading peace and promoting talks,” Wang said in the meeting on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.
Wang also “noted” that Moscow had declared that nuclear war wasn’t an option, after Russian President Vladimir Putin last month denied intending to use such weapons in Ukraine.
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping declared a “no limits” friendship just weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Since then Beijing has repeatedly said it would be willing to play a role in peace negotiations. Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed on red lines for Russia’s actions in Ukraine when they met on Monday in Bali.
Wang and Lavrov also discussed the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and the Korean peninsula, and the Iranian nuclear issue, the statement from the Foreign Ministry said.
