China calls for de-escalation as Russia threatens more strikes on Kyiv

GUANGZHOU, China – China’s Foreign Ministry has released a statement calling for “de-escalation” between Ukraine and Russia. In a press conference on Tuesday, Mao Ning, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson, reiterated China’s neutral stance on the war, one week after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing. 

  “Dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out. We call on parties concerned to work together for de-escalation as soon as possible and accumulate conditions for restarting dialogue and negotiation.” 

  The comments came after Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia would launch “systematic strikes” on Ukraine’s “decision making centres”. Following the threats, Russia has urged foreign citizens and diplomats to evacuate the city.  

  China’s reaffirmed position of neutrality comes ahead of talks between President Xi Jinping and President Putin, in Beijing in May, in which the two countries apparently put forward a united front and released a joint statement. 

  Mao Ning’s comment also comes one week after a Reuters news agency report that the Chinese military had secretly trained Russian military personnel in 2025, with some later going on to fight in Ukraine. 

  China has consistently referred to the war in Ukraine as a “crisis”, avoiding directly naming Russia as the aggressor in the conflict. 

  The comments come ahead of Russian threats of missile strikes on Kyiv, which Moscow implied could endanger the lives of diplomats. China did not comment, however, on whether it would evacuate its diplomatic staff from the Ukrainian capital.  EU diplomats have rejected the notion of leaving Kyiv as "blackmail."

lw