China cannot be trusted as a mediator in establishing peace between Russia and Ukraine, as it is profitable for Beijing to continue the war.
Czech President Petro Pavlo warned about this in an interview with Politico.
His comments came at a time when China is trying to position itself as a peacemaker in Ukraine. And while most Western allies have been skeptical of the proposals, some countries, such as France, insist China can play an important role in peace talks.
However, Pavlo, a former NATO general, spoke unambiguously. When it comes to Ukraine, he claims, China wants only the best for itself - and now that means more than war.
"I believe that it is in China's favor to continue the status quo, because it can push Russia to make a series of concessions," Petro Pavlo said.
According to him, Beijing can get cheap oil, gas and other resources from Moscow - in exchange for a partnership with the Kremlin "without restrictions". "It is also good for China that the West is perhaps becoming a little weaker by supporting Ukraine," he added.
"I don't think," said the Czech leader, "that China is really interested in ending the war in a short time."
Pavlo, who took over as president last month, said Beijing was using the war to learn.
"China is learning lessons from the conflict every day. They are closely monitoring what Russia is doing and how the West is reacting," the Czech president noted.
It will be recalled that the head of the Ministry of Defense of Italy, Guido Crozetto, believes that Ukraine and Russia should be brought to the negotiating table, and China should become the mediator.
It was also reported that French President Emmanuel Macron plans to approach China with a plan that he believes could potentially lead to talks between Russia and Ukraine as early as this summer.
According to the sources, any future negotiations will depend on several conditions, including a successful spring offensive by Ukrainian troops.
Many countries are also skeptical that China can be a neutral mediator given its "unrestricted friendship" with Russia.
