President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping.
During a productive hour-long conversation, the heads of state discussed a full range of topical issues of bilateral relations. Special attention was paid to the ways of possible cooperation to establish a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine's unwavering position on adherence to the "One China" policy and thanked the President of the People’s Republic of China for China's support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The President expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for the humanitarian assistance and noted that Ukraine properly cares about the safety of Chinese citizens in our country.
The parties discussed ways to strengthen the Ukrainian-Chinese partnership.
"Before the full-scale Russian invasion, China was Ukraine's number one trading partner. I believe that our conversation today will give a powerful impetus to the return, preservation and development of this dynamic at all levels," the President of Ukraine emphasized. This should be facilitated by the resumption of the work of the bilateral intergovernmental commission and the appointment of the Ambassador of Ukraine to China.
The President of Ukraine emphasized that today Ukraine honors the memory of the victims of the Chornobyl accident - the largest man-made disaster in the history of mankind. He emphasized that the ongoing Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the use of the plant as a cover for military strikes at our cities and villages demonstrate that Moscow does not respect the fair interest of all people of the world to live in guaranteed safety from any nuclear or radiation threats.
In this regard, the Head of State called on China to play an effective role in the settlement of the security issue around the ZNPP.
"This will be in line with the essence of the Budapest Memorandum," he emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed the Chinese leader on the situation at the front: "The situation at the front is difficult, but we are standing. And we will continue to liberate our land. We did not start this war, but we have to restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. Within the internationally recognized borders of 1991. Including Crimea. This is fully consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter."
The Head of State specifically focused on the devastating consequences of the Russian invasion, emphasizing the abduction of twenty thousand Ukrainian children by Russia.
The President of Ukraine outlined the content of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and informed about the ongoing diplomatic work on the organization of the Global Peace Summit.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for China's active participation in efforts to restore peace.
"Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainian people. We are on our land and fighting for our future, exercising our inalienable right to self-defense. Peace must be just and sustainable, based on the principles of international law and respect for the UN Charter. There can be no peace at the expense of territorial compromises. The territorial integrity of Ukraine must be restored within the 1991 borders," the President of Ukraine said.
The parties emphasized the importance of efforts to establish peace.
The Head of State separately emphasized the importance of all states refraining from supporting Russia in the war. This should apply to military-technical cooperation, including the supply of weapons.
"Russia converts any support - even partial - into the continuation of its aggression, into its further rejection of peace. The less support Russia receives, the sooner the war will end and serenity will return to international relations," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President of Ukraine emphasized the readiness of our country to remain a guarantor of global food security. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian ports are currently hostage to Russian aggression and are blocked by the aggressor state, and our export routes are blocked with them.
In this context, the parties expressed joint support for the need for proper implementation and continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed about the implementation of the Grain from Ukraine global humanitarian program.
The leaders of Ukraine and China agreed to maintain a regular dialogue.