China is considering joining the “coalition of the willing” as a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine
The People’s Republic of China is considering joining the so-called “coalition of the willing” — an initiative to create a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. This was reported by the German publication on March 22 World on Sunday with reference to sources in the diplomatic circles of the European Union who have information about these negotiations.
As the interlocutors of the publication note, representatives of Chinese diplomacy in Brussels have already shown interest and held a series of consultations to find out what the European Union’s reaction will be to China’s potential participation in this peace-making initiative.
According to European diplomats, the very fact of China’s involvement in the “coalition of the willing” can become a significant political factor that will affect the position of the Russian Federation. In particular, it is assumed that Beijing will be able to convince Moscow to agree to the placement of a foreign military contingent on the territory of Ukraine under the auspices of this mission.
At the same time, diplomatic circles in Brussels recognize that the subject of involving China in the peacekeeping mission is “delicate” and difficult given its political implications and potential consequences for the geopolitical situation.
In this context, it is worth recalling the events of early March, when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the creation of a “coalition of the willing” with the participation of London, Paris and Kyiv. These countries agreed to work together on the development of a draft peace agreement, which they plan to present to the United States of America. According to the information of the Sky News TV channel, within the framework of this initiative, the possibility of sending military units from European countries and NATO member states to Ukraine, which will perform the functions of peacekeepers, is being considered.
We will remind, according to the British publication The Times, London is ready to leave its peacekeepers on the territory of Ukraine for an indefinite period. The possibility of sending up to thirty thousand military personnel as part of a multinational contingent is being discussed.
As reported by the Bloomberg agency, about thirty countries have already expressed their readiness to provide military assistance to the future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, as well as to support it logistically and with intelligence. Among the participants of the discussion, in addition to European countries, were Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
