Opportune moment to set the stage for negotiations to end Ukraine crisis: China Daily editorial

The Tuesday negotiations between the United States and Ukraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have rekindled optimism that talks for ending the crisis in Ukraine, which is now in its fourth year, may be back on track.

As many observers and stakeholding parties stated, any move conducive to ending the grueling war is welcome. That is why Tuesday's development is cause for optimism.

In their joint announcement capping the meeting, the Ukrainian side agreed to a 30-day ceasefire plan; and the United States administration pledged the resumption of military and intelligence support for Kyiv.

It was an impressive turnaround following the ugly exchange between the US and Ukrainian leaders in the Oval Office on Feb 28, during which the whole world witnessed the president and vice-president of the host country berating and browbeating their guest for alleged ingratitude after he refused to accept the deal they had presented to him. That repugnant episode sent shock waves worldwide, particularly among the US allies, leaving many to rethink their previous faith in US security commitments and Washington's worthiness as a reliable partner.

Both Kyiv and Brussels are desirous of continued US security guarantees, so the US resuming its military assistance to Ukraine and information sharing will be especially heartening to them. Since the US administration suspended US military aid to and intelligence sharing with Kyiv after failing to steamroller the Ukrainian leader into agreeing to its proposal of assets without boots on the ground, Moscow has significantly upgraded its offensives against critical Ukrainian targets and made conspicuous headway on the battlefield. Despite European powers' emergency mobilization of local resources, it will take time to make up for the gap a potentially permanent US absence would leave. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and several other European leaders were thus quick to embrace the agreement.

However, what Von der Leyen praised as a "positive development", and Starmer called a "remarkable breakthrough", is only an initial step, as all the European leaders will be keenly aware. No doubt Washington is in favor of a swift solution. But the process seems destined to be protracted as it will be far more complicated than any television show, and the road ahead looks to be long and bumpy.

For one thing, Kyiv and Moscow are too divergent over what they want from a negotiated peace. Kyiv seems more convinced than ever that its future lies in the EU, even NATO; Moscow is adamant that is a no-no, and it wants a cast-iron commitment from Kyiv that Ukraine will never join NATO, along with territorial concessions from Kyiv.

While the self-proclaimed "master of the deal" has managed to strong-arm Kyiv into accepting its ceasefire arrangement, the latter has made it crystal clear that its decision hinges on Moscow coming fully on board — with the joint statement after the Jeddah meeting stating that "Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace" — and that is still up in the air.

Even if it does accept the temporary ceasefire, if Moscow will not accept anything short of its impossibly high demands for a negotiated end to the conflict and Kyiv refuses to meet them, there would appear to be little common ground on which the peace process can gain traction.

As hope-raising as the Tuesday agreement looks, there is no sign it is capable of delivering a lasting peace unless the two sides' historical animosity and mutual suspicion can be overcome and their incompatible demands reconciled.

The crisis has also revealed Europe in a very poor light. It will need to show some backbone if there is to be a security framework on the continent that is not held hostage to lingering Cold War mentalities.

Nonetheless, China remains hopeful that this will prove an opportune moment for the parties concerned to set the stage for dialogue and negotiations aimed at producing an acceptable solution that is just and sustainable. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reaffirmed that China will continue to play a constructive role with the international community by supporting all efforts conducive to the peaceful and permanent settlement of the crisis.?

It is to be hoped that a 30-day cease-fire will be agreed and that it does prove to be the harbinger of the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.