People take shelter in a subway station in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

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China encourages direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, as well as equal dialogues between the US, NATO, the EU and Russia in dealing with their conflicts that have accumulated over the years, a spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU said on Sunday in response to EU official's remarks of China's role as the mediator between two countries "as Western powers cannot fulfill."

The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that China should mediate future peace talks between Russia and Ukraine as Western powers cannot fulfil the role, AFP reported on Saturday. "There is no alternative ... It must be China, I am sure of that," Borrell said in an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo published on Friday evening.

In response to Borrell's remarks, the Chinese Mission to the EU said in a statement on Saturday that they are highly concerned about the evolution of the situation in Ukraine, and hopes crossfire can be stopped as soon as possible and the situation on the ground can be eased to ensure the safety of civilians' lives and property in order to avoid a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

"The situation in Ukraine has developed to such a point that we do not wish to see. It involves complex issues and China has always made its decisions and policies based on the merits of the matter," the spokesperson said. "We believe that to solve the Ukraine crisis, all parties concerned should uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect and safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any country, and resolve disputes through peaceful means."

China supports all efforts that can help to achieve a political settlement and ease the situation in Ukraine, but it opposes any action that is not conducive to promoting a diplomatic solution, but rather adds fuel to the flames. 

The spokesperson added that parties concerned should seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism in accordance with the indivisible security principle. 

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that the Ukraine crisis can only be solved through dialogues and negotiations and stressed that China supports all efforts that can help ease tensions and push for a political solution. China opposes any actions that are not conducive to diplomatic resolution but add fuel to the fire, said Wang. 

Wang made the comments during a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This marks the two officials' second phone conversation within two weeks. It also happened after Russia declared a partial ceasefire on Saturday to allow humanitarian corridors out of the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, according to Russia's defense ministry.

Global Times