Russia Dismisses Talk Of "Chinese Peace Plan"

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China's top diplomat Wang Yi did not discuss a "Chinese peace plan" in talks in Moscow today.

• Zakharova: "We note statements by some Western politicians and media reports regarding some kind of 'Chinese peace plan'. As usual, they distort the real picture."
• Zakharova: "The Chinese partners briefed us on their views on the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, as well as approaches to its political settlement. There was no talk of any separate plan."
• A "Chinese peace plan" would likely include calls for territorial integrity to be protected, increased protection of nuclear facilities, a cease fire, and a halt on arms deliveries to Ukraine.
• It is unlikely that Kyiv would accept a plan brokered by China which it considered firmly sided with Moscow.
• Bloomberg notes that China has altered its language on Russia, choosing to emphasis "no alliance" in communiques.
• BBG quotes Henry Huiyao Wang at the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing saying, "the emphasis on no alliance shows Beijing is tweaking its Russian policies and has been overlooked in the US and Europe."