The leaders of China and Belarus have expressed their extreme interest in a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, issued a statement after talks in Beijing. Mr Lukashenko said his country fully supports a Beijing plan for ending the war in Ukraine. China announced a plan for peace talks last week, calling for the respect of national sovereignty.<br />''<br />''The visit also comes days after China sent its top diplomat Wang Yi to meet Mr Putin. The 12-point document urges respect for the sovereignty of all countries. It does not specifically say Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and condemns the usage of &quot;unilateral sanctions&quot;, an implicit criticism of Ukraine's Western allies.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">China's peace plan was met with general distrust in the West. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he agreed with some parts of it and said it was a sign of China's willingness to engage. Beijing has so far not publicly responded to Mr Zelensky's call for a summit.</span><br />
News On AIR | March 2, 2023 8:22 AM
China and Belarus plan a peaceful resolution in Ukraine, urge respect for the sovereignty of all countries