China And Belarus Presidents Call For A Ceasefire And The Start Of Negotiations To End The War In Ukraine

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing. [File: Andrea Verdelli/Reuters]  

Al Jazeera: China, Belarus presidents call for establishing peace in Ukraine 

Xi Jinping and Alexander Lukashenko call for the ‘soonest possible’ peace deal for Ukraine. China President Xi Jinping and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko have called for a ceasefire and negotiations to bring about a political settlement to the Ukraine conflict at talks in Beijing. The two leaders issued a joint statement on Wednesday in which they expressed “deep concern about the development of the armed conflict in the European region and extreme interest in the soonest possible establishment of peace in Ukraine”, according to the Belarusian state news agency Belta. 

Read more ....  

Update #1: Belarus backs China's Ukraine peace plan - despite Western scepticism (SCMP)  

Update #2: China and Belarus express 'extreme interest' in Ukraine peace (BBC)  

WNU Editor: Besides Belarus, and much to the ire of the EU and the US, Hungary is now supporting China's peace plan .... Orbán backs China’s Ukraine peace plan (Politico.eu). More here .... Hungary PM backs China's peace proposal on settling Ukraine crisis (China Daily).

Belarusian President Lukashenko Arrives In China For A 3-Day State Visit

 

CNA: Belarus President Lukashenko to arrive in Beijing for talks with Xi 

BEIJING: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will arrive in Beijing on Tuesday (Feb 28), kicking off a three-day trip in which he will meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. 

The state visit by Lukashenko - a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin - comes after Beijing released a position paper on Russia's war in Ukraine insisting it is a neutral party and calling for dialogue between the two sides.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Chinese state media is responding to Western reporting on Lukashenko's trip to Beijing .... Lukashenko's China trip shows West's petty-minded sensitivity (Global Times editorial). 

Belarusian President Lukashenko Arrives In China For A 3-Day State Visit  

China to host Belarusian leader amid Ukraine tensions -- AP  

'Hello old friend': Belarus President Lukashenko in Beijing to meet Xi Jinping -- Euronews  

Belarus' Lukashenko arrives in China on state visit -- TASS  

Belarus dictator Lukashenko, a key Putin ally, lauds China's "peaceful foreign policy" before meeting Xi Jinping -- CBS/AFP  

Lukashenko’s planned Xi meeting shows gulf between China and the US -- The Guardian

Chinese President Xi Invites Belarus President Lukashenko To Travel To China Next Week In A State Visit

 

DNYUZ/New York Times: China to Welcome Belarusian Leader, Raising Concerns Over Ukraine 

As officials in Ukraine anxiously watch evolving diplomatic overtures between Moscow and Beijing, China’s top leader will host the president of Belarus — a staunch Kremlin ally — with the pomp of a state visit next week. 

On Saturday, China announced the visit, to take place over three days starting on Tuesday, for President Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus, who a year ago allowed Russian forces to use his country as a staging ground for their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

The presence in Beijing of such a close partner of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is likely to increase international attention, and pressure, over China’s straddling position on the war. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This invite caught me off guard. And it happened only hours after Ukraine President Zelensky called for a meeting with President Xi. 

Belarus President Lukashenko To Travel To China Next Week In A State Visit 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to visit China; trip to ‘boost cooperation, friendship’ -- Global Times  

Belarus leader and Putin ally Lukashenko to visit China -- AP  

China Announces Lukashenko Visit Hours After Zelensky Called for Meeting -- Newsweek  

Belarusian leader, a key Putin ally, to pay state visit to China next week -- Politico 

Belarus President Lukashenko to visit China next week -- Al Jazeera