CHINA said today that its special envoy met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during talks in Kiev earlier this week.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the meeting came amid discussions between envoy Li Hui and Ukraine’s foreign minister and other government officials.

“There is no remedy to resolve the crisis,” Mr Wang told reporters. 

“All parties should create favourable conditions and accumulate mutual trust for the political settlement.”

The visit followed an earlier phone call between Mr Zelensky and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Over two days, Mr Li and Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba discussed “ways to stop Russian aggression,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Mr Kuleba briefed Mr Li, a former Chinese ambassador to Moscow, “about the principles of restoring a stable and just peace based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

Beijing released a proposed peace plan in February, but the United States, their allies and Ukraine gave it a muted response, insisting that Russian President Vladimir Putin must withdraw his forces. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said Mr Li will also visit Poland, France and Germany, but did not give details of his schedule.

This comes as a group of African countries, led by South Africa, also launched a Ukraine “peace mission” this week.