China calls for Russia-Ukraine peace talks ‘as soon as possible’ after skipping Swiss summit that shunned Moscow

China has called for direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine “as soon as possible” as it shunned a weekend gathering in Switzerland that aimed to boost international support for Kyiv’s position.

“China calls on the parties to the conflict to demonstrate political will, come together, and start peace talks as soon as possible to achieve a ceasefire and halt military actions,” Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the United Nations Security Council on Friday.

He was speaking on the eve of the Summit for Peace for Ukraine at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, an event to which Russia was not invited, and which 90 countries attended.

Beijing’s absence from the two-day meeting, which was attended by more than 90 countries and focused on rallying support for Ukraine’s peace proposals, has raised questions about China’s self-proclaimed neutrality in the Ukraine war.

Ukraine invited China to the summit in January, but Beijing, which reaffirmed its commitment to the “no limits” partnership with Moscow last month, insisted any peace process would require Russian participation.

Geng’s appeal was largely in line with China’s own peace proposal unveiled a year ago, which was praised by Russia as an alternative to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plan, but largely dismissed by the US and its allies.