Stability in Ukraine is in China’s own interest, and Beijing holds the most powerful levers to influence Moscow and urge Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to end the war, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi says, according to UkrInform. 

Tykhyi calls on China, which has been called the main sponsor of Russia’s war, to view Ukraine not merely as another European country, but as a future member of the European Union. He emphasizes that “Ukraine–China relations are ongoing, dialogue exists.” Kyiv is also openly responding to instances of Chinese citizens participating in combat on Russia’s side or engaging in acts of industrial espionage.

For instance, on 9 July, Kyiv detained two Chinese nationals, accused of attempting to steal classified documentation on Ukraine’s Neptune anti-ship missile system. The weapon that sank Russia’s flagship Moskva.

The younger suspect studied at a Kyiv technical university until 2023, when he was expelled for poor grades. Instead of returning to China, he stayed in Ukraine. The SBU suggests he used his remaining contacts to target someone with access to advanced weapons development.

“Recently, Chinese nationals were detained for gathering sensitive information about Ukrainian weapons. These facts are not being concealed,” the spokesperson says, adding that such incidents damage bilateral relations, and Ukraine cannot ignore threats amid all-out war.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a senior EU diplomat that China “cannot accept” Russia’s defeat in the war against Ukraine, arguing that such an outcome would allow the US to focus its foreign policy on Beijing. However, this does not fully indicate that Beijing is focused on Moscow’s victory.