French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic adviser has told China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, that Paris is willing to work with Beijing to find a “peaceful solution” to the war in Ukraine.
“France is ready to make joint efforts with China to facilitate the cessation of hostilities and seek a peaceful solution,” Emmanuel Bonne told Wang, according to a Chinese readout of a phone call that took place on Thursday.
The readout said Bonne “expressed appreciation for China’s positive role in promoting peace talks.” The French position is radically different than the Biden administration’s as the White House came out against the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Moscow.
President Biden also immediately dismissed the idea of China mediating between Russia and Ukraine after Beijing released a 12-point peace plan for the conflict. He said the idea of China being involved in the negotiations is not “rational.”
Wang told Bonne in the call that China is hoping to come to a “strategic consensus” with the EU on the issue of Ukraine and wants European countries to promote the idea of peace talks.
“China expects France and other European countries to also play their due role in this regard. Ceasefire, resumption of peace talks and political settlement of the crisis should become the strategic consensus between China and the EU,” the Chinese readout said.
Other world leaders have expressed support for China’s initiatives, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula was due to visit China this week but had to cancel after catching pneumonia. Before the cancellation, the Brazilian leader said he would propose a “peace club” with China to help mediate an end to the war in Ukraine.
Lula’s idea of a peace club is very positive.As is Macron’s break from US policy. Support for China’s leadership role around its twelve point peace initiative is snowballing and leaving the US isolated. I am concerned that China has not moved quickly to set up a summit between Xi and Zelenskyy. But China may have been surprised by Zelensky’s openness to immediately discussing its peace proposal. China moves very deliberately in foreign affairs. I hope that is the case and that the Chinese are planning for a productive summit with Zelenskyy. For peace negotiations to work, Ukraine has to be assured its independence and territorial integrity and Russia has to be assured that Ukraine will not become a base for aggression against Russia. After fourteen months of war, it is good to have some hopeful news. Let’s give peace a chance!
“But China may have been surprised by Zelensky’s openness to immediately discussing its peace proposal.”
I’d be shocked if Zelensky didn’t already get a tongue lashing for having the audacity to being open to China’s gesture. Similar to his campaign promises. But we can all hope.
Zelenskyy has shown (ironically in his demands for more weapons) that he is willing to stand up to US/NATO (at least to some degree). He seems to genuinely care about the interests of Ukraine as he sees them.
Early on in the war I was impressed when he fired Ukraine’s top prosecutor because she was making unfounded charges to the western media about alleged rapes of civilians by Russian soldiers.
He makes demands because he knows he sold his soul by getting in bed with the west and they’d look foolish if they were to punish him for doing so. And if what he is doing proves he genuinely cares about the interests of Ukraine, I’d hate to see a worse version of him.
I do not trust the Ukrainians any more – at all.
That’s it.
You don’t have to trust your adversary to make peace with them. I am glad you are not responsible for anything other than your own comments from the peanut gallery.
Good! Screw the forever war Empire! I’d much rather be in a club of Peace. Wouldn’t it be something if China pulled off a real Ukraine peace deal against the Empire’s wishes?
All it takes is for a couple more of the EU heavyweights (Germany, Italy, Spain) to take the same line as France, and for them to actually mean it.
“All it takes is for a couple more of the EU heavyweights…Germany…and for them to actually mean it.”
1/ Antiwar’s run pieces on large antiwar demo’s – very large in Germany. Plus, as I’ve posted w/links before, German’s poll increasingly as strongly favoring peace now.
Upshot – would think politically that would be a safe, even popular move for Scholz – that electorates would support him – and now…would think there’d be antiwar movement and parliamentary demands for Scholz to join the peace club. And questions at any press conference…
2/ Yea – in response to one poster on this thread – would think behind the scenes the US is strongly exhorting Germany not to join in.
3/ Of course we want more than ‘just words’ – but even words have some power where, on the info war front, one of the US’s claims is ‘everyone thinks like we do, and NATO is unified.’
Cause remember – this is one way the US justifies the war and declares its ‘success’ to US citizens too.
This is only one more fissure in NATO unity, but…well, we’ll see…
We have occupied Germany since the end of WWII. Same with Japan. We occupy South Korea. It is what we do; bully, bomb, organize coups, sanction, occupy. We are a “rules based” nation. /s
Especially after they got Iran and the Saudi’s to promise to play nice. Steam must be coming out of the ears of our “diplomats”. Might have to instigate a little harder to get that war started with them earlier than planned.
maybe uncle sam should put sanctions on china and now on france.
that’ll teach ’em a lesson, tell you what.
americans can change the name of ‘french fries’ to ‘freedom fries’ – again.
Does France have any pipelines Biden could blow up? Asking for a friend…
One from Algeria, through Mediterranean… With side casualty of Italy, but we know that won’t stop anyone, they should have been more enthusiastic in arms race after all…
A good sign of disagreement within NATO. It’s only a matter of time before NATO breaks up.
What’s needed from Macron is an earnest of good faith. It should withdraw from NATO and declare neutrality, if it wants to be a credible partner in peace.
Hidden in this entertaining news feed you will find that Zelensky and China have been in bed together to the tune of $Billions in investments from China.
Which he won’t see a penny of if he takes negotiation too far.
Has France got permission from US or these are just air words…?!
Distraction from domestic mess. Macron is 100% BS. He will do whatevet Neocon International wants. Outsmart China? Please.
Well, let’s hope; but this may also be good cop, bad cop.
I assume that Nuland is drawing up plans to overthrow the government of France.
Beat me to it. The fat hag is probably at it.
The French are doing a pretty good job without her for now.
Wonder if Macron is going to try to get China to raise it’s retirement age?
Why would the Russians trust France if Macron is still in power?
He’s seen how bad the protests are over his unilaterally raising the retirement age, because they are broke, and worries how bad those protests will be, if he keeps throwing money at Ukraine and people start asking if they are broke because of foreign adventures like neocon wars.
France pees in the Champaign glass again. Wash. will be incensed they actually may want an end to the war and seek a peaceful solution. Freedom fries again? May be the beginning of the NATO divorce. After all, Europe has more to lose in a war with Russia than the USA. Wash. always counts of wars being fought over there rather than over here, but this time it may be different.
Message to the president (in The District of Catastrophe): stuff it.
“District of Catastrophe”
Good one. You are on a roll!