MOST recently-held Jeddah’s summit once again provided another chance of diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict because of the Chinese constructive and productive participation along with 40 countries’ senior officials however, exclusion, absence and rejection of the Russian side about the 10-points peace formula of Voloyymyr Zelemskiy badly doomed it. Nevertheless, serious efforts should not be stooped for an amicable political settlement mutually acceptable to both the conflicting parties.
The Chinese special envoy of Eurasian affairs Li Hui attended the summit in order to help try and find a credible path to a political settlement of the conflict. During the summit the Chinese envoy Li upheld that basic principles were tabled and discussed despite many disagreements and different positions. It is a good omen that China participated actively and was positive about the idea of a third meeting at this level. The western media termed the involvement of China as a big diplomatic prize because it had been invited to the Copenhagen talks in June but did not attend.
In this regard, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson at the Chinese Ministry showed China’s willingness to constructively work with the international community in promoting a political solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. It seems that China foresees that the recently held summit would not be fruitful making any substantive progress toward the process of political settlement of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, but its active and positive participation carried substantial diplomatic weightage. The Chinese participation clearly demonstrates its diplomatic willingness to listen to other countries’ views and proposals for possible ways to first realize a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia before making further efforts of its own to promote a final political solution to the crisis.
Moreover, China has already put forward a 12-point peace plan for the political settlement of the crisis, but it hopes that the various proposals that are being put forward to reach a political settlement can be aligned so that they gain greater traction and become an irresistible force for peace. Thus its constructive participation in the summit should be treated as snowball-like rolling converging various proposals for a political settlement of the crisis.
Obviously, the world is looking towards China because of the Chinese previous success in brokering a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, rigorous shuttle diplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and last but not the least, its constant and continued diplomatic efforts to make it some kind of indirect engagement, if not directly, to exchange ideas about how to agree on a cease-fire first and then peace talks, as that is clearly in the best interest of the two countries.
It is highly appreciable that China always believes that efforts for talks should be composite and continued despite its success chances of finding a peaceful solution rather than a military solution because dialogue, diplomacy and development should be given a chance for settlement. The two-day summit in Jeddah was the second of its kind, after a similar forum in Copenhagen earlier this summer, and aims to draft key principles on how to end Russia-Ukraine conflict.
While attending the summit Ukraine’s President, Voloyymyr Zelemskiy hoped that the initiative would lead to a peace summit of world leaders this autumn endorsing the basic principles, based on his own 10-point formula for a settlement. The essence of 10-point peace formula coined by Zelenskiy depended on the respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and the restoration of UN principles and adherence to international law.
Interestingly, during the summit there was agreement that working groups would be set up to develop details of Zelenskiy’s 10-point peace formula while a parallel ambassadors group would continue technical work on the issues. Additionally, working groups would find solutions pertaining to global food security, nuclear safety, environmental security, humanitarian aid, release of prisoners of war and kidnapped children.
It seems that this summit provides a chance to Saudi Arabia being a peace broker to play a positive and productive role at the international stage however, stakes are very high and widening gaps of geopolitics marred the chances of any breakthrough. Furthermore, participation of the three-fifths of the BRICS countries, Brazil, India and South Africa, as well as other countries in the global south such as Indonesia, Mexico, Zambia and Egypt conveyed a good message to the world.
A senior Ukrainian official termed it as productive but Moscow called the meeting a doomed attempt to swing the Global South behind Kyiv. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by state media as saying the meeting was a reflection of the West’s attempt to continue futile, doomed efforts to mobilise the global South behind Zelenskiy’s position. In summary, the Jeddah’s summit vividly reflected commitment to the principles of international law and respect for the sovereignty and inviolability of the territorial integrity of states.
It also shows the strategic importance of the revival of Black Sea Grain Initiative because its discontinuity is badly hurting many countries of Asia, Africa and Europe struggling with hunger. Obviously China holds the gravitational force to achieve the impassable in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict because the Chinese wisdom would achieve diplomatic wonders to heal wounds. China’s support for more peace negotiations was one of the Jeddah meeting’s most important outcomes. China voiced support for a third round of negotiations through Li Hui, its special representative for Eurasian issues.
Moreover, it reaffirms its readiness to contribute to regional as well as global peaceful and constructive role in international conflicts which is indeed a good omen. It further enhances its interactive, integrated and coordinated role in global governance. China’s participation can bring new viewpoints and diplomatic weight to the negotiating table. China’s choice to participate in the talks indicates its developing status as a responsible global actor, ready to get involved in resolving challenging international problems. Role of Saudi Arabia is also commendable showing its willingness to play wider role in regional as well as global food & energy security, conflict resolution, peace and stability.
—The writer is Executive Director, Centre for South Asia & International Studies, Islamabad, regional expert China, BRI & CPEC & senior analyst, world affairs, Pakistan Observer.
Email: mehmoodulhassankhan@yahoo.com
