Ukraine War: Time for China to Use Its Influence with Putin to Create Room for Peace
Ukraine War: Time for China to Use Its Influence with Putin to Create Room for Peace
"China’s leadership should…offer to support serious negotiations," co-writes AS/COA Chairman Emeritus William R. Rhodes for South China Morning Post.
One year on from the start of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the pain and suffering mounts. The United States’ most senior general estimates that Ukraine has seen in excess of 100,000 soldiers killed and injured, while US and European officials suggest Russia may have suffered close to 200,000 dead or wounded.
A staggering 8 million refugees are dispersed across Europe, a number not seen since World War II. Many Ukrainian cities and towns lie in ruin, with the eventual rebuilding cost at least $349 billion or as much as $750 billion, and rising. Today a harsh, dangerous, unpredictable cold war is unfolding between the US and its Western allies, and Russia and China.
At this crucial point, China’s leadership has two branching pathways ahead of it, and it is unclear which President Xi Jinping will select, although the signs are modestly positive. […]
