The United States has urged China to participate in a planned summit on Ukraine this month in Switzerland, despite China’s decision to stay away due to Russia’s exclusion. A U.S. State Department spokesperson addressed reporters on Thursday, highlighting the importance of China’s attendance.

Importance of the Summit

Kyiv has announced that over 100 countries have accepted its invitation to the summit. The event aims to discuss the peace plan proposed by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to end Russia’s invasion, which began in February 2022. Despite China’s close ties with Russia, Moscow has not been invited to the June 15-16 meeting.

Beijing has indicated that it will not attend the summit, citing the necessity of having both warring sides present for any meaningful peace discussions.

Key Statements

“We certainly would encourage China to participate in that summit. They’ve attended previous versions of the summit. We thought their presence was helpful. We think their presence would be helpful here,” stated the U.S. State Department spokesperson during a briefing.

The spokesperson also urged China to take action against companies that, according to Washington, support Russia’s defense industry. This, he added, would be “even more helpful.”

Context and Reactions

Moscow has dismissed the summit as pointless without its participation. Ukraine has accused Russia of attempting to disrupt the conference.

Previously, the United States emphasized that China must choose between business with U.S. and EU economies or supporting Russia with dual-use goods. President Joe Biden’s administration has increased its focus on China’s support for Russia. In December, Biden issued an executive order threatening sanctions on financial institutions aiding Moscow in evading Western sanctions.

With Inputs from Reuters