ANKARA

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that China has “great potential” to help end the simmering Ukraine war.

“In bilateral relations between Ukraine and China, there has never been any major problem, so the trust is there,” Kuleba told an online briefing on Tuesday, South China Morning Post reported.

He said that Kyiv anticipated more dialogue with Beijing in the future as both countries remained “confident in each other.”

Kuleba’s remarks coincided with Beijing’s ongoing engagement aimed at mediating peace talks following the Ukraine-Russia war, now in its third year.

Earlier this month, Li Hui, Beijing’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs, traveled to Kyiv, Moscow and European Union countries for a second round of talks to explore the possibility of peace negotiations.

Beijing has not condemned Russia over its war on Ukraine but has reaffirmed its support for the territorial integrity of all nations.

In February, Kuleba met Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where he agreed to continue the dialogue and maintain contact “at all levels.”

Kuleba described both meetings as “meaningful.”

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday that Beijing’s position on the Ukraine issue “has been consistent and clear, advocating for dialogue and negotiations, and emphasizing that a political solution to the crisis is the top priority.”

His remarks came in response to a question about France’s alleged plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine, which Paris has denied.