Chinese President Xi Jinping has called his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodimir Zelensky, this Wednesday. It has done so one year and two months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and after insisting on it for months from the Ukrainian president. In the phone call, according to China, the recovery of the Embassy has been agreed to “promote peace agreements” between Moscow and Kyiv and also seek a “cease fire as soon as possible”.

For his part, Zelensky has indicated that the call has been “long and significant”, however, he has not spoken of peace or ceasefire: “I think that this call, as well as the appointment of the Ukrainian ambassador in China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our relations bilateral agreements.” Russia, on the other hand, welcomed China’s willingness to seek a solution: “We welcome the Chinese side’s willingness to make efforts to promote the negotiation process”said the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zajárova, in a statement.

What China, which has been pulling strings for months, is seeking with this movement is for its plan to be the predominant one, to reduce the influence of the United States and become a champion of peace. The Asian giant believes that he could find a satisfactory solution for both parties, since he is one of the few international actors with the ability to influence the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Advantage acquired for being, right now, a fundamental pillar for Russia after the numerous sanctions and the economic blockade.

What is the Chinese peace proposal?

On February 24, the anniversary of the invasion and almost a month before his meeting with Putin, Xi Jinping presented a peace plan to end the conflict. The initiative was presented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and it is a plan that consists of 12 points that are 12 proposals for a ceasefire, where it bets on “dialogue“as the only way out”crisis“- avoid talking about war or conflict-.

In them, the request for respect for “the sovereignty of all countries” and “their territorial integrity”, and support for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. A clear nod to Kyiv. Beijing also makes Russia happy by asking for respect from the “legitimate security concerns of countries”, and to cease “unilateral sanctions”. The other proposals focus on moderation, avoiding a nuclear war and, above all, economic unlocking.

However, the United States, the European Union and NATO they were skeptical about the Chinese plan. As they argued and in the words of the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, it was not a peace plan since “China has taken sides by signing, for example, an unlimited friendship” with Russia “just before the invasion” . The Kremlin, as the Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, María Zajárova, has indicated on Wednesday, sees many “matches” between the Russian approach with the Chinese peace proposal.

At the time, Volodimir Zelensky was more prudent, and he even saw “positive” that China had a peace plan. In fact, the Ukrainian president has avoided confronting China since the start of the war, and insistently asked to meet with Xi Jinping. However, Zelensky rejected any peace proposal that does not include a withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian territory.

Beijing’s dubious neutrality

China of course not a neutral mediator, but has defended a “constructive role”. A difficult balance that has been imbued with accusations of supplying arms to Russia, something that the country has forcefully rejected. It is also difficult because China, a few hours before presenting its peace plan, abstained from a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the war.

Despite their skepticism, several European leaders and representatives of the EU visited China during this April to seek solutions to the conflict, although they sold it as a visit to strengthen trade relations between the EU and the Asian giant. From the meetings with Xi, for example, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, came out optimistic and assured that it could be “counting on China to make Russia see reason”.

These trips occurred a week after the trip of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, to China, where he also met with his counterpart Xi Jinping. There Sánchez valued Beijing’s peace proposal and thanked “his effort” in positioning himself on aspects such as the use of nuclear weapons or respect for territorial integrity. However, the socialist defended the Ukrainian plan for “achieve a just and lasting peace” in an “illegal and unjust” war. He also encouraged Xi to talk to Zelensky.

What does Ukraine propose for the ceasefire? Zelenski’s formula is based on 10 points: radiological and nuclear, food and energy safety; release of prisoners and deportees; implementation of the UN Charter; withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities; justice; ecocide and environmental protection; prevention of escalation and confirmation of the end of the war. “I want this aggressive Russian war to end fairly and on the basis of the United Nations Charter and international law,” he said in his speech at the G20 summit.

What is the current situation of the war?

Meanwhile, the war continues and, despite these supposed advances, it does not seem that it will end anytime soon. Currently, Russia is still advancing on Bakhmut, but Ukraine is resisting. Despite the requests of the US to abandon the territory because it considers that it is a non-strategic pointKyiv uses the tactic of resist to wear down. In fact, for the next few days and with the arrival of spring, an imminent counteroffensive from Ukraine is expected.

On the ground, the Ukrainian forces based on the western side of the river dnieper they are carrying out raids to the other shore, near the southern city of Kherson, to try to dislodge Russian troops waiting to launch the counteroffensive.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), based in Washington, which makes a daily assessment of what is happening in the conflict, has indicated that senior US and European Union officials that in the event of a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive, Putin would not be willing to negotiate and mobilize more soldiers.