Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

China and Brazil, together with a number of countries from the Global South, have established a "Friends of Peace" platform on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, in a bid to seek peace amid the Ukraine crisis, which has been dragged on for more than two years. 

The move is another step forward after China and Brazil jointly issued a six-point consensus on their common understanding of the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis in May.

Ever since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started, Global South countries have avoided taking sides in the conflict. They also don't see eye to eye the way the Western countries deal with Russia in an international system that has long been dominated by the US-led West. The Global South countries, represented by China and Brazil, have delivered a message that is different from the self-centered West.

Historically speaking, Global South countries were beset by the dominance of the Global North through political and economic exploitation and had long been outside the center of international political arena. In other words, they were in a weak or even marginalized position. But in recent years, Global South countries have emerged and their voices can be heard clearly on the world stage. Even Western countries have taken notice of this trend. This is because Global South countries think independently and have the courage to pursue a fair and just international order.

The root cause of the Ukraine crisis is clear. So is the reason why it is dragging on for so long. The US and the West, with their inherent arrogance and self-righteousness, have been pushing forward NATO's eastward expansion without taking into account the special historical and geographical sensitivities of Russia and Ukraine, which ultimately led to the situation being out of control. As the initiator of the conflict, the US would rather prolong the conflict than end it, only to sustain its hegemony. During the more than two years' time, many opportunities for peace have been missed.

This time, again, the US has tried to dismiss the efforts made by Global South countries. When asked about the latest peace proposal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken resorted to the old-fashioned cliché of China's "support" to Russia. 

Cui Heng, a lecturer from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, believes this reflects the paucity of the US' diplomatic rhetoric. 

"The US only wants to shirk its responsibility in the Ukraine crisis. Few countries now buy the 'China responsibility' rhetoric," said Cui.

Cui noted that if the US were in the situation of Russia, it could have kicked NATO out of its sphere of influence. 

"In an international order dominated by the US, there is no such a thing as fairness and justice. In this context, why can't Global South countries push forward changes?" he asked. 

The Ukraine crisis is a tragedy of international politics and tragedy of the world. In the past, when faced with major regional conflicts or international conflicts, it was often Western countries that decided the final direction or ultimately played a role. But this time the situation is different. Unlike Western countries that choose sides, most countries in the Global South uphold a balanced and neutral position and champion peace. 

The emergence of Global South countries is offering hope to the Ukraine crisis. Perhaps the US and the West should ponder why they only bring war but the Global South could create conditions and atmosphere for peace talks.