China signals conditional willingness to send troops to Ukraine

Beijing has indicated it could contribute troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, but only under a United Nations mandate, EU diplomats told WELT AM SONNTAG.

The plan has divided reactions in Europe: while participation by a Global South country like China could increase international acceptance, there are concerns it might adopt a pro-Russian stance or use the mission for intelligence-gathering.

Italy has long advocated for peacekeepers to operate under a UN mandate, but most EU countries remain cautious.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed proposals excluding Russia and possibly China, while Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Chinese involvement, citing Beijing’s ongoing support for Moscow through oil purchases and weapons supplies.

Western security guarantees for Ukraine encompass more than military support, including training, arms supply, intelligence sharing, defence industry assistance, sanctions, economic cooperation, and potential EU accession.

Immediate priorities for Europe focus on monitoring ceasefire compliance, likely through drones, with mandates potentially allowing intervention in case of violations.

Meanwhile, NATO is awaiting US troop withdrawal plans from Europe, expected after the Russian-Belarusian “Zapad” exercise in mid-September.

Up to 70,000 of 100,000 US troops may be redeployed, prompting potential adjustments to European defence roles, including for the German armed forces.

By Aghakazim Guliyev