EU tells China to play constructive role towards peace in Ukraine
A giant screen shows news footage of Chinese national flags and European Union flags during an EU-China virtual summit, in Beijing, China, April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
BRUSSELS: The European Commission repeated calls on Thursday (May 25) for China to play a constructive role in establishing peace in Ukraine, after a top EU diplomat met Li Hui, China's special representative for Eurasian Affairs and former ambassador to Russia.
"The EU expects China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to play a constructive role (...) and to recall the necessity to respect the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity (...) by unconditionally withdrawing all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders," the EU said in a statement.
Last week, Li Hui visited Ukraine and met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a European tour that Beijing billed as its effort to promote peace talks and a political settlement. He is set to visit Russia on Friday.
