ISTANBUL

China on Friday signaled support for the first trilateral meeting between Russia, the US, and Ukraine in the UAE.

“China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear, and dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out of the Ukraine crisis,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the first tripartite meeting between the US, Russia, and Ukraine will take place in the UAE on Friday and Saturday.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed the unprecedented talks since the war started in February 2022.

A White House official confirmed to Anadolu on condition of anonymity that the talks would be taking place in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday.

Zelenskyy said that Kyiv and Washington reached an agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia, but it has yet to be signed.

Beijing has avoided condemning Russia’s “special military operation” against Ukraine but called for respect for the territorial integrity of all nations.​​​​​​​

Along with Brazil, China has launched the “Group of Friends of Peace” to promote a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis.