German Chancellor Olaf Scholz intends to urge Chinese leader Xi Jinping to reduce economic support for Russia and influence Moscow to join peace talks with Ukraine on terms acceptable to Kyiv.
"We want to emphasize to China that this war is illegal and violates our core interests," the WSJ quoted a senior German official as saying. "Currently, China is on the side of the aggressor... It should actively participate in all diplomatic initiatives to end the war."
Scholz is on a three-day tour of China and plans to meet with Xi on Tuesday.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to WSJ's request for comment.
At the same time, according to the publication, the probability of ending the war in Ukraine through negotiations in the near future is very small. Kyiv insists on the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and compensation, while Moscow hopes to keep the occupied territory of Ukraine. Western diplomats also say that Russia may be planning a new offensive in late spring or summer.
According to German officials, the reduction of support for China could have a decisive effect on Moscow and force it to support the negotiation process.
Many Western politicians and analysts believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to seize even more territory from Ukraine and will not hold talks until the US elections in November. Some Western allies, including Britain, doubt the advisability of forcing Ukraine to negotiate directly with Russia, as they fear that Russia's goal is to change the government in Kyiv to one more consistent with the Kremlin's demands.
In February, Putin told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that Western countries, not Kyiv, should negotiate with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov said that the basis for new negotiations should be the peace project presented by Russia in March 2022.
The West failed to secure China's support for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine. And while Western countries do not believe China directly supplies Moscow with weapons, Western diplomatic officials say Chinese companies supply dual-use goods such as electronic components and chemicals that are key components of weapons and help Russia maintain and rebuild its military might. .
Fabrice Pothier, a former senior NATO official who now advises the government in Kyiv, believes that China is providing economic support for Putin's war and thus it is crucial to enlist Beijing's support. Potier is also convinced that lasting peace can be achieved only under the condition of Ukraine's full membership in NATO.
"It is important that Chancellor Scholz clearly understands that any plan involving neutrality for Ukraine is not an effective option, especially for Putin, who rejects the very idea of Ukrainian sovereignty," the WSJ said, citing the German chancellor.
Several officials express hope that, with China's support, negotiations with Russia can begin by the end of this year, the newspaper reports.
Chinese government diplomats have been exploring the possibility of peace talks in both Ukraine and Russia in recent months, the WSJ reports, while Turkey is doing the same.
In turn, Ukraine organizes the "Peace Summit", the participants of which are countries that are not members of the West, including China, India and Saudi Arabia, which have good relations with Russia. Although China took part in only one meeting, and Moscow was not invited to it.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, in a recent interview stated that the diplomats of the countries participating in the "Peace Summit" may present a peace plan to Russia in the near future. Zelensky also emphasized that he is ready to negotiate with Russia only within the framework of this forum, provided Xi participates, and that China should be the guarantor of any potential agreement.
The U.S. government recently reported that China has increased supplies of non-lethal aid to Russia that could be used to manufacture weapons. Meanwhile, German officials say China's refusal to supply Russia with any weapons or ammunition shows that Beijing is leaving room for maneuver and the ability to influence Putin.
"China is still somewhat desperate," the WSJ reported, citing one senior official.
The newspaper also notes that China has not completed the expansion of the pipeline for the import of Russian natural gas, although Russia is in a hurry to find new buyers, since it can no longer export gas to Europe.
One senior Kremlin official, who was recently in Beijing, said the Chinese government is delaying to have leverage and pressure on Putin if the conflict in the Ukraine war negatively affects the Chinese economy.
The WSJ indicates that several people close to the Kremlin have recently made preparations using the failed 2022 peace process as a basis for a possible deal. Chinese representatives held talks with high-ranking officials from Ukraine, Russia and outside the West about possible talks, visiting them in early March. However, this approach was met with skepticism by Western governments, as the Chinese representatives did not have a sufficient mandate from Xi.
Xi Jinping, who regularly communicates with Putin, met with Zelenskyi only once during the conflict, and refused to meet at the request of the Ukrainian side. Chinese Ambassador Li Hui led the delegation in Kyiv, where he was led by the head of the Zelenskyi administration, Andriy Yermak, sources close to the negotiations report. Yermak presented his Chinese guest with evidence that Chinese components were used in drones used by Russia to attack Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov welcomes China's balanced position in resolving the Ukrainian crisis and indicates that Russia is considering China's proposals.
According to data provided by the US, China has suddenly increased its sales to Russia of microelectronics and other technologies used by Moscow to manufacture missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weapons for waging war against Ukraine.
Two senior Biden administration officials, who discussed the confidential findings on Friday on condition of anonymity, said that in 2023, roughly 90 percent of the microelectronics used by Russia to build missiles, tanks and planes came from China. Also, more than 70% of Russian imports of machine tools worth about 900 million US dollars in the fourth quarter of 2023 were also made from China.
In addition, Chinese and Russian companies are also cooperating in the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles in Russia, and Chinese companies are likely to supply Russia with nitrocellulose for munitions production. In addition, Chinese companies also provide optical components for Russian tanks and armored vehicles.
According to Russian customs data analyzed by the Free Russia Foundation, Russian imports of semiconductors from China have risen sharply from $200 million in 2021 to more than $500 million in 2022.
Beijing is also working with Russia to improve space capabilities that could be used as part of the war in Ukraine, which officials say could increase the threat Russia poses to Europe in the long term.
Although China does not officially provide direct military support to Russia, it has expressed diplomatic support, accusing the West of provocations by Vladimir Putin.
Beijing has repeatedly said it does not provide arms or military aid to Russia, although it maintains strong economic ties with Moscow, along with India and other countries, amid sanctions from Washington and its allies.
