Xi calls for Ukraine ceasefire as Hungary’s Orban makes surprise stop in China
In Beijing on Monday, Xi praised Orban’s efforts after the Hungarian leader briefed him about his visits to Kyiv and Moscow. He said China and Hungary would maintain communication on Ukraine as their peace efforts were largely “aligned”.
“China has been actively promoting peace talks in its own way and encourages and supports all efforts conducive to peaceful resolution of the crisis,” Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
“It is in the interests of all parties to have a ceasefire and end the war at an early date and seek a political solution,” Xi said.
“The international community should create conditions and provide assistance for the two sides to resume direct dialogue and negotiations. Only when all major powers exert positive energy instead of negative energy will this conflict see the dawn of a ceasefire.”
Orban told Xi he appreciated China’s efforts and that Beijing’s advocacy for peace had “great importance”, according to a video clip from the meeting posted on Orban’s official Instagram account.
In a separate post on Facebook, Orban said China was a “key player” to bring peace to Ukraine. “In addition to the warring parties, it depends on the decision of three world powers, the United States, the European Union and China, when the Russian-Ukrainian war will end,” he wrote.
Orban’s peace mission comes as the bloc has been increasingly divided on support for Ukraine. His hard-right party is also in the process of forming what could be the dominant right-wing alliance in the European Parliament, including France’s National Rally party led by Marine Le Pen, which opposes continued funding for Kyiv.
Like Hungary, China’s position on Ukraine has also met with a wary eye from the EU, which has sanctioned some Chinese companies over their links to Russia.
However, many EU officials are still looking to Beijing to play a peacemaker role given its influence in the Global South and Xi’s personal ties with Putin. The pair discussed Ukraine when they met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kazakhstan last week.
In Beijing on Monday, Xi also urged Hungary to help promote China-EU relations – which remain tense over their trade disputes – during its rotating presidency.
Orban agreed to maintain strategic coordination with China and said Hungary opposed “bloc confrontation”, according to the Xinhua report.