Part 5/14:
Ukrainian goals: Ukraine seeks the restoration of its sovereignty and territory.
Russian security: Russia’s leadership, under Putin, considers the war an existential struggle, aiming to reclaim vital territory and demonstrate military success.
China’s 12-point peace plan, presented during Xi’s meeting with Putin, calls for respecting sovereignty and avoiding nuclear escalation but notably omits demands for Russian troop withdrawal—a point starkly contrasting with United Nations resolutions. This omission reflects Beijing’s limited influence over Moscow and its strategic calculations to avoid alienating Russia, which remains an important economic and military partner.