Clarion Call: Ukraine Peace – OpEd

The current high-profile three day visits by the French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on April 6, to China is an indication to have a strategic partnership between Europe and China.

The visit was aimed at garnering peace through President Xi an end to the Ukraine-Russia conflict “I know I can count on you to bring Russia back to reason and everybody to the negotiation table…We do not simply want an end to the conflict, but respect for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, which is the only condition for lasting peace.” “China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict.” France observes China as a vital “Game-Changer” in the war and the only country that could put effective diplomatic pressure on Putin.

While on 05 April, NATO Foreign Ministers continued the meeting for the second day. The meeting focused on threat rising from China’s relations with Russia, where the NATO Secretary General highlighting the implications. 

European leaders to continue trade with China

Some people even believe that the successive visits of European leaders to China are towing to continue trade with China, abandoning “more important priorities” such as human rights, international security and US advisory to avoid trade with China. France views that the China-France meeting is particularly crucial, as China shares common interests with the EU in the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict, as well as deepening practical economic and trade cooperation and other areas.

Earlier German chancellor Scholz’s visited China, the first by a major Western leader after the elevation of Xi by the 20th Party Congress. France and Germany, opposed a confrontational attitude toward China, and believed that a more balanced strategy should be adopted, and more European interests must be taken care of. 

China believes that the visit of European leaders to China will continue the positive momentum of close high-level interactions between China and the EU and will effectively reduce the EU’s misunderstandings and misgivings about China, increase strategic mutual trust and strengthen the autonomy of China-EU relations.

The international community is fully aware that the Russia-Ukraine conflict can only be resolved through dialogue and communication, and the crisis can only be politically resolved through peace talks. On April 1, Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky exchanged views on the current situation in Ukraine and proposed diplomatic efforts to hold a peace summit, which shows that Europe has not completely closed the window for dialogue with Russia.

Following a series of visits to China by European leaders, China and the EU will strengthen consultations on some regional hotspot issues, jointly address global challenges, consolidate the foundation of cooperation in economic and green transition, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and strengthen the independence and resilience of China-EU relations.

2023 sees India playing the Presidency role for the G20.  Both China and India should come together to help restore the ‘Global Peace and United Nations Credibility’. The world is moving toward more chaos with nations not abiding with the international law and the UN failing to exercise its authority. Risks of outbreak of new conflicts, Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the sky rocketing inflation and an energy crisis continue to threaten the world peace.

Indian Assets for Initiating Global Peace

• The theme of India’s G20 Presidency-“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” a Sanskrit phrase meaning “The World is One Family” Or “One Earth-One Family-One Future” – is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life and their interconnection on the planet Earth. The logo and the theme together convey a powerful message of India’s G20 Presidency, which is of striving for just and equitable growth for all in the world, as the world navigates through these turbulent times. ‘Unity in Diversity’ is one of the most powerful thoughts India has given to the world. 
• Indian Prime minister Modi who has talked of “The Era of No War” has good relations both the Warring Presidents of Russia and Ukraine; Putin and Zelensky. 
• India the earlier world leader of the non-aligned world can lead the way forward towards considered negotiated solutions. 
• India a peace loving nation has never invaded any country and has no intentions of extending its borders to occupy any territories of its neighbours.

China’s Assets for Initiating Ukraine Peace

• China issued its position paper titled “China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis,” pointing out that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solutions to the Ukraine crisis and the international community should create conditions and platforms for the resumption of negotiation. However, this 12 point position paper was rejected by the West.
• European leaders in their interest to continue trade with China keen to support President Xi’s Ukraine Peace initiative. Despite the friction, the EU and China continue to remain strongly intertwined economically. According to statistics released by Eurostat, trade volume between the 27 EU countries and China reached 856.3 billion euros ($910.6 billion) in 2022, an increase of 22.8 percent compared to 2021. 
• China’s brokering of the Iran-Saudi deal of diplomatic ties a step towards regional realignment that no longer sees the US as the great power to accept and harder for the US to readjust to the hard reality but it may have no choice.
• China’s geo-economic power through its BRI projects.

The major focus of the Macron-Xi meeting included de-escalating the Ukraine war and reigniting trade and economic relations with China. Von der Leyen stressed the need to “de-risk” trade with China. Macron arrived with 50 French business and cooperate delegates to discuss the future of economic and business investments. Both countries agreed to promote cultural relationships by announcing 2024 as the “China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.”

Besides brokering peace, France aims to relaunch an economic strategic partnership with the second largest economy China. China- France bilateral trade has grown in the past few years and amid new tensions, France hopes to continue the development of “balanced and mutually beneficial” economic and technology cooperation with China.   

India-China:Russia-Ukraine Peace Dialogue

All Peace loving nations should come together to help restore the ‘Global Peace and United Nations Credibility’.

I have a strong intuition that the combined efforts of India and China can initiate a Russia-Ukraine peace dialogue and bring an early end to this Russia-Ukraine War which has brought misery to the world and partitioned the world into groups.  No one else can play this role better as both India and China are near neutral during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and both Prime Minister Modi and President Xi are acceptable as peacemakers to Russia and Ukraine. 

China’s Sabre-rattling against Taiwan ‘Seals Off’ island for three days of drills. Under the unified command of the theatre joint operations command centre, multiple types of units carried out simulated joint precision strikes on key targets on Taiwan island and the surrounding sea areas, and continue to maintain an offensive posture around the island.

Washington had repeatedly called for China to exercise restraint following President Tsai’s meeting with Kevin McCarthy. With such a Chinese offensive stance it is difficult that the US-NATO and West have first to agree to allow China taking the initiative of initiating a Peace dialogue between the two warring nations as President Zelensky of Ukraine will only follow US directions. 

The UN has to take the lead role but before that India and China have also to keep their differences on the back burner in the larger interest of Global Peace and come together for this noble peace cause.