Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on May 8 that he believed either Turkey or China would serve as a capable "mediator" if the United States pulls out of negotiations to end the war.
Speaking to reporters following an EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Warsaw, Sikorski said that he hope the U.S. succeeds in "mediation efforts" between Russia and Ukraine, European Pravda reported.
"But if this path turns out to be unsuccessful, there are other candidates," Sikorski added. "There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication. And then, above all, there is the People's Republic of China, which, more than anyone else, has the means to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin come to the negotiating table and soften his demands."
Sikorski's comments come as the United States has reportedly grown frustrated at the lack of progress being made on negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. On April 26, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be "tapping me along" in negotiations.
On May 8, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that the U.S. would be ready to "walk away" from the negotiating table if it does not see Russia making progress in negotiation to end the war.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in Russia's all-out war against Ukraine by maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with both nations. Leveraging its strategic position and influence in the Black Sea region, Turkey has facilitated negotiations and grain exports, while expressing willingness to participate in ceasefire monitoring.
While China has also positioned itself as a potential mediator in the war, it has simultaneously criticized the U.S. and its allies for "exacerbating" the war by supplying weapons to Ukraine. NATO has labeled China a "decisive enabler" of Russia's aggression.
President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on April 17 that China is supplying weapons to the Russian military. His statement marks Kyiv's first confirmation that Beijing supports Russia's war effort by providing weapons.
Despite Vance's comment, following a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump seemingly contradicted Vance on May 8, saying that he was "committed" to securing a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
"As President, I will stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans, and a Lasting Peace it will be," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations. If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions," Trump added.
Lucy Pakhnyuk
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