Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang Photo: Courtesy of fmprc.gov.cn

China hopes Russia and Ukraine will keep alive the possibility of dialogue and negotiation and not close the door to a political solution, no matter how difficult and challenging it may be, Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in a phone call on Thursday.

During the phone call, Kuleba told Qin about the latest situation and the prospects for talks, expressing gratitude for China's humanitarian aid and the proposals China has raised to solve the crisis, as well as its sincerity in promoting a ceasefire.

Kuleba said that China is not only an important cooperation partner for Ukraine, but also a key and indispensable major country in international affairs. He congratulated China on successfully promoting reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"The Ukrainian side will take a long-term view of bilateral relations, continue to adhere to the one-China principle and look forward to enhancing mutual trust and deepening cooperation in various fields," said Kuleba.

Qin said China is very concerned about potential escalation of the Ukraine crisis, and hopes talks can be resumed as soon as possible to promote a political solution.

China has been promoting peace talks and appealing to the international community to create the right conditions, Qin noted, saying that China will continue to play a constructive role in stopping the war, easing the crisis and restoring peace.

Besides the Ukraine crisis, Kuleba said Ukraine has been devoted to establishing sincere relations with China based on mutual respect. Qin said China valued such a view and is willing to work with Ukraine to promote steady development of bilateral relations.

Global Times