China could be the broker of peace in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as Moscow says that they are giving "a great deal of attention" to the 12-point plan China laid out at the end of last week. That plan has Beiking calling for an avoidance of nuclear escalation and to stop attacking civilians on either side of the conflict.
"We are paying a great deal of attention to the plan of our Chinese friends. Of course, the details need to be painstakingly analysed taking into account the interests of all the different sides. This is a very long and intense process," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to The Guardian.
Though Peskov also said that he didn't see any immediate signs that peace wasin the near future. For his part, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that only a full withdrawal of troops could spell an end to the conflict, into which the US has invested some $200 billion to back Zelensky.
That 12-point plan calls for "Respecting the sovereignty of all countries," and recognizing international law per the UN Charter; "Abandoning the Cold War mentality;" "Ceasing hostilities;" "Resuming peace talks;" "Resolving the humanitarian crisis;" "Protecting civilians and prisoners of war;" "Keeping nuclear power plants safe;" "Reducing strategic risks;" "Facilitating grain exports;" "Stopping unilateral sanctions;" "Keeping industrial and supply chains stable;" and "Promoting post-conflict reconstruction."
President Joe Biden has not offered a peace plan, other than to say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the only one who can end the conflict, through a full withdrawal from Ukraine. Former President Donald Trump, who is running to replace Biden in 2024, has said that if he were in power he would have the conflict stopped within 24 hours.
The US has imposed sanctions on Russia, Russian companies, and wealthy Russian citizens, and has moved to sanction Chinese firms as well. China and Russia have been getting closer during the conflict, with China looking to make use of Russian energy resources.
