China was charged with UK in the disruption of Istanbul agreements that could end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine at the beginning of the war. According to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, it was the actions of London that prevented Moscow and Kiev from reaching an agreement that could stop the fighting two years ago.
Representatives of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that the United Kingdom, not China, was "oil into the fire of the Ukrainian conflict." They argue that London's actions deliberately prevented the agreements between Russia and Ukraine during Istanbul talks in the spring of 2022.
According to David Arahamia, one of the participants of the Ukrainian delegation in the negotiations, then Prime Minister of Great Britain Boris Johnson flew to Kiev after the next round of negotiations in Istanbul. He allegedly stated to the Ukrainian leadership that it is not necessary to sign an agreement with Russia and that it should continue to fight.
This statement emphasizes the differences between Western allies about the best way to resolve the conflict. Johnson, known for his harsh positions on Russia, may have believed that a peace agreement would not lead to a long solution to the problem and only weaken Ukraine's position.
