Munich: Finland’s newly elected head of state wants China to play a significant role in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, a statement unlikely to be welcomed in an increasingly China-focused Washington.
Alexander Stubb, Finland’s President-elect who is set to be inaugurated next month, said during a Munich Security Conference press conference that he was hopeful Beijing would “get involved” in future peace talks because “they are in the driver’s seat with their relationship with Russia.”
“The problem that we have with peace mediation right now is that it’s too transactional and you have a lot of middle powers doing it and then it doesn’t stick,” said Stubb. He added that a hard border between Russia and Ukraine must be non-negotiable and part of any peace settlement.
Stubb’s remarks are not likely to go over well in Washington or other parts of Europe which have been increasingly wary of China’s growing global efforts. The comments also appear completely out of step with the official position of Beijing: On February 17, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi told this conference that conditions are not right to discuss peace talks, reported Bloomberg.
The focus on talks come amid plans led by Ukraine President Volodymr Zelensky to hold a global peace summit in Switzerland in March or April, a summit which will not include participation from Russia, according to Stubb. It remains unclear if China will attend the forthcoming summit or which other major powers will attend, but Stubb also said Zelensky is unlikely to push his previous “10 point plan” and instead “start piecemeal” by addressing a number of key issues.
Stubb said he expects Moscow will eventually come to the negotiation table, as long as “international pressure” is kept on the regime of President Vladimir Putin.
Stubb reiterated previous comments that Finland will continue to show calm and composure in dealing with the challenge of how Europe should prepare to finance Ukraine’s war effort, should the US decide to pull funding. Trump, the Republican frontrunner ahead of the November presidential elections, has previously threatened such a scenario. Complicating matters further is a hold up to Washington’s latest $60 billion military aid package, which continues to draw concern from European officials.
As troubling as that picture looks for international security, Stubb was dubious about fears that the US would “abandon” Europe and Ukraine’s cause. To follow through on that approach would “radically” weaken the superpower status of the US, in his view, though he specifically acknowledged that the US is “pivoting” strategically to prioritise fighting a future war against China in the Indo-Pacific.
