Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba told a senior Chinese envoy Lee HuiAt the talks between the two men in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv will not accept any proposals to end the war with Russia that involve the loss of Ukrainian territory or the freezing of the conflict, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

Li Hui, the special envoy for Eurasian affairs and a former ambassador to Moscow, has been in Kiev since yesterday for a visit anticipated by President Volodymyr Zelensky, backed up by new promises to send Western weapons seeking to influence China on Russia.

According to Beijing, the Chinese envoy is tasked with discussing a “political settlement” of the war during his European tour, during which he will also visit Poland, France, Germany and Russia.

This is the first visit to Kyiv by a senior Chinese envoy whose ties to Russia are growing since Moscow’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Beijing avoids condemning Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, or even talking about an “invasion.” Beijing’s position has drawn criticism from European countries and the United States, which question the credibility of China as a potential mediator in the war.

Today, a Chinese official met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

“Kuleba informed the Special Representative of the Chinese Government in detail about the principles of restoring a sustainable and just peace based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“(The Ukrainian Foreign Minister) emphasized that Ukraine does not accept any proposals that entail the loss of its territories or the freezing of the conflict,” the statement said.

The Chinese official will leave for Warsaw on Friday.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonnade from Paris said Li Hui would arrive in Paris “early next week.” The head of French diplomacy reaffirmed Paris’ “unwavering support” for Kyiv.