China denies considering participation in Ukraine peacekeeping mission
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has denied claims in the media that it is considering participating in a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, China's state-run newspaper Global Times reported on March 24.
The German news outlet Die Welt reported on March 22 that, according to its undisclosed diplomatic sources, Beijing is considering joining the peacekeeping force as part of the European-led "coalition of the willing" to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.
In response to a journalist's question about the story, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing that the claims were completely untrue.
The peacekeeping mission, spearheaded by the U.K. and France, aims to ensure Ukraine's security in case of a ceasefire by deploying foreign troops on the ground, as well as aerial and naval support.
Details of the mission remain unclear as talks within the "coalition of the willing" are ongoing. The discussion comes as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine while rejecting the possibility of taking a direct part in the European-led mission.
Beijing claims to be a neutral party in the Russia-Ukraine war despite being a close economic and political partner with Moscow. China has played a significant role in helping Russia resist the impact of Western sanctions and became its leading source of dual-use goods used for military purposes.
Officially, China has denied providing military support to either side and stressed the need for a peaceful solution.
Martin Fornusek
