KYIV: China could play a decisive role in pressuring Russia towards peace talks, helping end its war in Ukraine, US Senator Lindsey Graham said on Friday, adding that the next several months would present a window for a diplomatic solution.
Graham, a frequent visitor to wartime Ukraine, met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. They discussed Ukraine’s urgent air defence needs and the Russian sanctions bill, Zelensky said.
Graham said that bolstering Ukraine’s military capabilities and aligning sanctions with a diplomatic push could force Moscow into talks.
“The road to ending this war, the road to peace, passes through Beijing more than it does (through) Washington, Kyiv, or Moscow. China has an oversized influence. I’d like them to use their influence for the good of the world,” Graham told reporters at Mykhailivska Square in the heart of Kyiv.
“I don’t believe (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is there yet, but it wouldn’t take much to get him there. And the sooner we can have a dialogue about peace, the quicker this war is over.”
China and Russia declared a “no limits” strategic partnership days before Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has been trying to help find a diplomatic solution to end the war but despite months of efforts, no tangible results have been achieved.
