Can China still play a role as peacemaker in Ukraine after US-Russia talks?

Beijing has reportedly offered to provide peacekeepers, but analysts are divided about how far it is willing to go to secure a deal

Reading Time:3 minutes

China has sought to position itself as a peacemaker. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00pm, 20 Feb 2025Updated: 8:49pm, 20 Feb 2025

US and Russian officials held their first talks on Ukraine this week in Saudi Arabia in a meeting that excluded Kyiv and European representatives – raising fears across the continent that Donald Trump may be willing to sacrifice Ukrainian interests in the hope of a deal with Vladimir Putin.

China, which has positioned itself as a peacemaker throughout the war, said it was happy to see the US-Russia talks but added that all stakeholders should be involved in negotiations. Trump has also said China could play a role in ending the war, but has not explained how.

Beijing is reportedly willing to provide security guarantees for any peace deal and some observers believe it would like a peacekeeping role, but questions remain over the extent of its commitment and whether Ukraine and Russia would accept its involvement.

At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China would continue to work with Global South nations to promote peace following a series of previous efforts by Beijing.

Yun Sun, director of the China programme at the Stimson Centre, a Washington-based think tank, said: “Like the saying goes – ‘You are either at the table or on the menu’. I’d imagine there is a lot of anxiety in China, Ukraine and Europe about what the negotiation means for them.”

In the early stages of the conflict, Western countries had looked to China to use its influence over Russia, but its hesitation to condemn the war and alleged supply of dual-use goods to support Putin’s war effort have undermined its peace efforts and prompted much criticism.