Pope’s peace envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi has returned from a three-day trip to Beijing, where he called on all sides to participate in negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Zuppi emphasized the importance of all parties coming together in the pursuit of peace, stating that “Ukraine has already engaged and presented its proposals. In reality, everyone must participate.” The cardinal had previously visited Russia in June, where he met with Russian officials, including the Kremlin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.
In addition to his meetings in Russia, Zuppi also traveled to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian officials. He expressed gratitude for the considerable attention that the Chinese government has given to diplomatic efforts to seek a solution to the war in Ukraine. Ukraine and its Western allies have long hoped that China, with its close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, could play a role in pushing Moscow towards peace.
However, China’s claims of neutrality and a vaguely-worded 12-point position paper on a “political settlement” for the conflict have been met with skepticism. The paper failed to acknowledge Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory, causing concerns among Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Western allies. Zelensky has expressed reservations about negotiating with Putin, citing the Russian President’s history of reneging on agreements. He stated in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, “When you want to have a compromise or a dialogue with somebody, you cannot do it with a liar.”
Meanwhile, Russia has blamed Ukraine for not coming to the negotiating table, further complicating efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The return of Cardinal Zuppi from his talks in China is seen as a step forward in the diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
CNN’s Nectar Gan and Simone McCarthy contributed to the reporting of this post.