China ready to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, German media reports
China has signalled to EU diplomats that it is prepared to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, German media outlet Welt reported, citing anonymous EU sources.
However, China is prepared to do so only "if the peacekeeping forces were deployed on the basis of a mandate from the United Nations (UN)," the sources told Welt.
China is the latest country to wade into the discussion of what peacekeeping forces could be deployed to Ukraine in the future, and under what conditions, as U.S.-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine stumble.
In the past week, the discussions have heavily focused on what security guarantees could be offered to Ukraine.
Ukraine has stressed the need for robust security guarantees backed by international support as part of any peace negotiations, noting that Russia has repeatedly violated its international agreements, including prior agreements to respect Ukraine's sovereignty.
According to Welt, reactions to China's announcement were mixed, with some believing that a coalition of countries beyond Ukraine's traditional Western allies would make the prospect of peacekeeping forces more acceptable to Russia.
On the other hand, "there is also a danger that China primarily wants to spy on Ukraine and, in the event of a conflict, will take a clearly pro-Russian position instead of a neutral position," a senior EU diplomat familiar with the ongoing discussions told Welt.
Sending foreign troops to Ukraine as part of support offered by a group of allies known as the "Coalition of the Willing" is one of several proposals that have been put forth to ensure that a ceasefire is respected in the event of a deal with Russia.
Around ten European allies are willing to send troops to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 19. The U.K., France, Lithuania, and Estonia have publicly declared their readiness to provide troops on the ground.
The United States has ruled out sending its own troops to Ukraine though has said it is open to offering other security guarantees.
Russia, however, has rejected the idea of stationing European troops in Ukraine. Doing so would amount to "foreign military intervention," which Moscow won't support, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Aug. 21.
