China is not in a hurry to take a position on the war in Ukraine, as it is crucial for Beijing to see how the conflict concludes. A Ukrainian victory would limit China's actions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made this statement at the book War and New Horizons presentation in Kyiv.
"China's strategy is very simple. China has its significant historical matters. I fear that we in Ukraine do not fully understand China. I do not claim to have a complete understanding either. However, China is in no hurry for one simple reason: they need to see how this war ends. Because if it ends with Ukraine's victory, China's actions will be constrained," said the minister.
However, if Russia continues to advance and Ukraine continues to defend itself despite the aid provided, this will, conversely, free China's hands.
"If this war ends not even with a Russian victory, but with Russia imposing its strategic initiative, meaning they gradually advance over the years while we gradually fend them off, despite all the aid we receive, then this, on the contrary, frees China's hands," the minister explained.
Dmytro Kuleba noted that China's position is much broader in logic and will ultimately determine the world's fate. So now, China is looking at the real potential actions of the West, specifically at what Ukraine and its allies are capable of.
"China is now a separate topic of official government studies: specifically, what a country defending itself against a much larger neighbor - a nuclear power - is capable of; and second, what the partners of such a country are capable of. So now, in short, they are in a position of we are for peace, for all good against all bad. But this position has a much broader logic, which ultimately will determine the world's fate, without exaggeration," the minister emphasized.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China has never fanned the flames or fueled the fire of the Russia-Ukraine war. On the contrary, the country believes all efforts to support peaceful measures in the Russia-Ukraine war should be recognized.