Beijing: As it unveiled its plan to end the conflict in Ukraine on Friday, China called for immediate peace talks. However, a number of Western nations rejected the proposals and warned against Beijing's growing ties to Moscow.

Concerning the Chinese proposals, especially the document's call to refrain from using nuclear weapons, the UN expressed cautious optimism.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky gave a subdued response, saying Kyiv needed to "work with China" on strategies to end the year-old conflict. Russia responded favourably to Beijing's efforts.

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After the Chinese leader's government called for peace talks, Zelensky told reporters that meeting with him would be "important for world security."

China's 12-point paper calling for a "political settlement" to the crisis follows Western accusations that China is considering arming Russia, which Beijing has denied.

The paper, released on the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calls on all parties to "support Russia and Ukraine in working in the same direction and resuming direct dialogue as soon as possible."

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It also expresses its opposition to not only the use of nuclear weapons, but also the threat of using them, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat to use Moscow's nuclear arsenal in the conflict.
Russia expressed appreciation for Beijing's efforts to resolve the conflict on Friday, but insisted that any solution recognise Kremlin control over four Ukrainian regions.
"We highly value our Chinese friends' sincere desire to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine," the foreign ministry said, adding that any settlement must recognise "the new territorial realities."

China's document was met with scepticism from Ukraine's allies, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declaring that Beijing "doesn't have much credibility because they haven't been able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine."
"How could it be any good if Putin is applauding it?" In an interview broadcast on ABC on Friday, US President Joe Biden stated.

And, while "every constructive suggestion that brings us closer to a just peace is highly welcome," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, "whether global power China wants to play such a constructive role is still doubtful."

Ukrainian and European Union diplomats urged China to do more to pressure Russia to end the conflict at a press conference in Beijing.

According to Jorge Toledo, the EU ambassador to China, Beijing has a "special responsibility" to maintain peace as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
"I think the call on the need to avoid the use of nuclear weapons is particularly important," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman.

While maintaining close ties with strategic ally Russia, China has sought to position itself as a neutral party in the conflict.
Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, met Putin and Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow on Wednesday.
According to a meeting transcript published by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Wang stated that China was willing to "deepen political trust" and "strengthen strategic coordination" with Russia.

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China has offered Putin diplomatic and financial support since Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, but has refrained from overt military intervention or sending lethal weapons.

"I don't expect a major initiative from China to provide weaponry to Russia," Biden told ABC. "Anyone who did that would face severe penalties."

Leaders at a virtual Group of Seven summit on Friday also warned that countries would face "severe consequences" if they continued to assist Russia in evading international sanctions imposed in response to its invasion.