Several hundred protesters gather for an anti-war demonstration to oppose US military aid to Ukraine in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on February 19, 2023. The rally's organizers and speakers also called for the Pentagon's budget to be slashed and NATO to be disbanded. Photo: VCG

As the talks hosted by Saudi Arabia over the Ukraine issue wound down, Chinese experts said on Sunday that a political solution is the most appropriate and least damaging approach to solve the Ukraine conflict.

Senior officials from some 40 countries including the US, China and India held talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday welcomed the wide range of countries represented in the talks, including developing countries hit hard by the surge in food prices triggered by the war.

Russia did not attend the talks. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by the state news agency TASS as saying on Sunday the meeting is "a reflection of the West's attempt to continue futile, doomed efforts to mobilise the international community, and more precisely, the Global South, even if not entirely, in support of the so-called Zelensky formula, which is doomed and untenable from the outset." 

A European Union official said there would be no joint statement after the meeting, but that the Saudis would present a plan for further talks, with working groups to discuss issues such as global food security, nuclear safety and prisoner releases.

Chinese Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui attended the talks. "We have many disagreements and we have heard different positions, but it is important that our principles are shared," he said, according to Reuters. 

China's attendance of the conference demonstrates its considerable influence and respect from all parties. In other words, Saudi Arabia clearly understands that without China's participation, the impact of the talks would be diminished, and the results obtained would be less significant, Cui Heng, an assistant research fellow from the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China has maintained a mediating posture, acting as a communication bridge, Cui said.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is not just a dispute between the two countries, but also a security conflict between Russia and US-led NATO. Therefore, China has always advocated for negotiations and a prompt end to the conflict, a cease-fire, and a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine dispute, to alleviate the pressures on both countries' societies, as well as Europe and the world, Zhang Hong, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. 

As a responsible major power, China seeks regional and global stability, Zhang said. "China has no geopolitical demands in this conflict and does not seek to contain or exhaust Russia like the West. At the same time, China does not seek to take advantage of the situation. Plainly put, China acts in the interest of world peace and stability," he said.

Experts believe that understanding the interests and security concerns of all parties can lead to solutions in a complex environment. 

Both China and Saudi Arabia hope to promote peace talks. However, experts pointed out that the time is not yet ripe for direct peace negotiations, as the gap in the bottom line demands of the parties involved is too large. 

The current priority should be de-escalating the conflict, specifically refraining from attacking civilian infrastructure and civilians so as to lay the groundwork for future negotiations, Cui said.

On the same day, Russia condemned a Ukrainian strike on one of its civilian vessels in the Kerch Strait near the strategic bridge. Calling it a "terrorist attack," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Saturday that Russia will respond and punish those responsible.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's air defense authority reported a "massive missile attack" during the night of August 5-6, saying at least 70 missiles and suicide drones targeted sites around the country. 

Avoiding conflict through diplomatic means is essential, as resorting to war can lead to uncontrollable risks and challenges, Zhang said. Therefore, the peaceful resolution method actively promoted by China and Saudi Arabia and other countries is the most appropriate and least damaging approach.