US Encourages China to Engage in the Upcoming Summit on Peace for Ukraine

A US State Department spokesperson informed Reuters on Thursday that the United States is urging China to participate in the Summit on Peace for Ukraine this month in Switzerland.

China has indicated its intention to abstain from attending since Russia did not get an invitation.

“We certainly would encourage China to participate in that summit. They’ve attended previous versions of the summit. We thought their presence was helpful. We think their presence would be helpful here,” the State Department spokesperson said in a briefing.

Additionally, the spokesperson emphasized that China should take action against companies aiding Russia’s defense industry, a move deemed “even more helpful” by Washington.

The Office of the President of Ukraine has announced that 107 countries and organizations have confirmed their participation in the upcoming Summit on Peace for Ukraine. The Summit is scheduled to take place on June 15-16, 2024, in Bürgenstock, near the Swiss city of Lucerne.

On June 3, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba listed the ways Russia uses to try to sabotage the upcoming Summit: discrediting its significance; persuading countries not to participate, and urging those who have committed to attend to do so at the lowest possible level.

The Summit on Peace for Ukraine aims to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine, one of the most fundamental principles of international law. The Russian Federation has a long history of disrupting countries’ sovereignty, including Georgia, Moldova, Chechnya, and others. That’s why it is crucial for the world to gather in an attempt to prevent the further violation of countries’ basic right of state unity.