Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov speaks to journalists in Moscow, Russia, on Dec 23, 2021. (PHOTO / AP)
A position paper that China has issued setting out a possible path to peace in Ukraine needs to be analyzed in detail, the Russian government said on Monday.
Analysis of the paper, which urges both sides in the conflict to agree to a gradual de-escalation and warns against the use of nuclear weapons, should take into account the interest of all sides, the Kremlin said.
"We paid a lot of attention to our Chinese friends' plan," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that: "Of course, the details need to be painstakingly analyzed taking into account the interests of all the different sides. This is a very long and intense process."
He said Russia was continuing to carry out what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine, and for now didn't see any signs suggesting a peaceful resolution could be achieved.
China called for peace talks as it issued a 12-point position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, which included the respect of all countries' sovereignty.
After meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, Saudi Arabia pledged humanitarian assistance to Ukraine worth $410 million, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the country's foreign minister, told a news conference in Kyiv.
It is the first time since the two countries established diplomatic relations 30 years ago that a Saudi foreign minister has visited Ukraine.
According to the El Sharq television channel, Riyadh and Kyiv signed a memorandum of mutual understanding on the supply of oil products to Ukraine.
It comes as fighting continues in the city of Bakhmut and the casualties are high.
Eduard Moskalov, Ukraine's commander of joint forces operation, has been dismissed from his post, Zelensky announced Sunday. He did not provide an explanation for the dismissal, but it's the latest in a long line of recent leadership changes made by his administration.
Also on Sunday, Chairperson of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul said the US could send more advanced weapon systems for Ukraine, including longer-range missile systems or fighter jets.
However, US President Joe Biden on Friday ruled out providing the F-16 fighter jets Ukraine has requested, at least for the time being, telling ABC News in an interview that Zelensky "doesn't need F-16s now".
Peskov said that Moscow considers supplies of Western weapons to Ukraine as the West's growing involvement in the conflict.
Agencies contributed to this story.
