China says it will send peace envoy to Ukraine

BEIJING -- Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Wednesday that his government will send a peace envoy to Ukraine and other nations, state media said, after Beijing said it wants to act as mediator in Russia's war with the country.

A government statement reported by state TV gave no indication whether the Chinese envoy would visit Russia.

“China will send a special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs to Ukraine and other countries to conduct in-depth communication with all parties on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” the statement said.

It made no mention of Russia or President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last year.

“There is no winner in a nuclear war,” the statement warned.

China has tried to appear neutral in the war but has refused to criticize Moscow's invasion.

Xi and Putin issued a joint statement before the February 2020 attack saying their governments had a “no limits friendship.”

Xi's government released a peace proposal in February and called for a cease-fire and talks.

“Negotiation is the only viable way out,” state TV said in a report on Xi's comments to Zelenskyy.

“There is no winner in a nuclear war,” the report said. “All parties concerned should remain calm and restrained in dealing with the nuclear issue and truly look at the future and destiny of themselves and humanity as a whole and work together to manage the crisis.”