The agreement between Brazil and China that could end the war in Ukraine

China does not have the capacity to force Russia to end the war in Ukraine, as suggested by President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, China is committed to obtaining UN adoption of the proposal it presented jointly with Brazil, with the aim of bringing the conflicting parties to the negotiating table. This analysis is from Chinese negotiator Li Hui, who was in Brasilia on Wednesday (31), talking to representatives of the Brazilian government, including special advisor Celso Amorim, advisor Ibrahim Abdulhak Neto and the Secretary of Itamaraty for Asia and the Pacific, Eduardo Saboia. The statement was made during an interview with the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.

China and Brazil have sent a letter to the UN asking that their proposal be debated at the General Assembly in September. Li said 110 countries support the document. China has chosen to seek support from nations outside the conflict zone, highlighting the global impact of the war. “The energy and food security of Asia, Africa and Latin America have been seriously affected,” he said.

Zelensky recently stated that “if China wants, it can force Russia to stop this war” and expressed a desire for Beijing to put pressure on Moscow. Li responded that this is unrealistic, as China is not a party to the conflict and Russia is a sovereign and independent country, as well as a strategic partner of China.

Li also refuted accusations that the alliance between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping makes China a biased actor in the crisis, stressing that he seeks an objective and impartial solution.

During his conversations with the Brazilians, Li shared his perception of the current moment, which includes a rare convergence of discourse between Kiev and Moscow on the possibility of discussing peace, following the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba to China.

Kiev wants to negotiate based on ten points defined by Zelensky, without making concessions to the Russians, while Putin demands neutrality, disarmament and the cession of 20% of Ukrainian territory to stop the fighting.

When asked about China’s position, Li cited Xi’s principles, such as respect for territorial sovereignty and the UN Charter. Li also stressed the importance of the joint China-Brazil statement, which calls for a halt to territorial gains with a ceasefire but does not mention the return of regions annexed by Putin. Li discreetly criticized Kiev for not inviting Moscow to the peace conference in Switzerland, noting that Russia rejects ultimatums.

Critics see China’s stance as a strategy to buy time while Putin moves slowly. However, reports indicate progress in the negotiations, with the recent exchange of hostages between Russia and the West. Regarding Western accusations of military support for Russia, Li denied supplying lethal weapons and criticized US disinformation. He noted that “60 percent of Russian weapons components come from the West” and mocked sanctions against Chinese companies.

Li also mentioned China’s role in bringing Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as Palestinian factions, closer together amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. “The international community believes that conditions for a ceasefire must be met,” he said, noting that “there is no simple solution” and criticizing the Cold War mentality.