On Wednesday, October 23, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for restraint and de-escalation in both the Ukraine conflict and the Gaza crisis during his address at the BRICS summit in Kazan. The summit, which brought together around 20 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, marked the largest diplomatic gathering in Russia since Putin’s controversial military invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Xi’s speech emphasized the necessity of avoiding further escalation in Ukraine, maintaining China’s stance as a neutral party in the conflict, while also advocating for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. His remarks touched on the international community’s concern for both crises, with a particular focus on how they risk destabilizing global peace and security.
Xi Jinping’s comments on the Ukraine conflict underscored China’s official position, which aims to project neutrality while advocating for peaceful resolution through dialogue. Addressing the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) leadership, Xi reiterated his country’s principle-based stance on the war. Despite Beijing’s claims of impartiality, China has faced criticism from Western nations for its ongoing diplomatic and economic support of Russia—a longstanding ally.
“The Ukraine crisis drags on,” Xi remarked in his speech. “We must adhere to the three principles of ‘no spillover from the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, and no adding oil to the fire by relevant parties,’ so as to ease the situation as soon as possible.”
These three principles, laid out by Xi, mirror China’s long-held position on preventing conflicts from spiraling into broader global crises. Xi’s rhetoric was carefully calibrated, reflecting Beijing’s consistent avoidance of taking sides, even as it provides Russia with critical diplomatic cover. China has consistently refrained from condemning Russia’s actions, a position that has sparked intense scrutiny from the United States and European Union.
Despite this, Xi’s speech aimed to strike a balance. His call for no further escalation may signal a subtle pressure on Moscow to pursue peace talks, though it stops short of any direct criticism of Putin’s military campaign in Ukraine.
The BRICS summit held in Kazan was not only a platform for Xi’s appeals but also an important diplomatic stage for Vladimir Putin. It represented Russia’s largest diplomatic forum since the onset of its war in Ukraine, and for Putin, the gathering was an opportunity to reaffirm alliances and seek international support.
With Russia increasingly isolated by Western sanctions and criticism, the BRICS group—comprising some of the world’s most significant emerging economies—remains a vital lifeline for Moscow. Putin’s personal attendance at the summit, despite being the subject of an international arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, was a clear sign of the importance Russia attaches to BRICS solidarity.
Throughout the summit, Putin sought to emphasize shared geopolitical interests, particularly the group’s opposition to Western dominance in global affairs. In his remarks, Putin framed Russia’s war in Ukraine as part of a broader struggle against “Western hegemony,” aligning his message with that of China’s narrative of a multipolar world order.
Despite the apparent solidarity between Moscow and Beijing, there remains an underlying tension in their relationship concerning the war. While China has provided economic and rhetorical support, it has not engaged in direct military assistance, maintaining a careful distance from full-blown alignment with Russia’s war effort.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, China has walked a tightrope, presenting itself as a neutral power that advocates for peace while ensuring that it does not alienate Russia. This balancing act, however, has come under fire from Western governments, which have accused China of tacitly enabling Russia’s aggression.
China’s economic ties with Russia have deepened since the start of the conflict, with increased energy imports and bilateral trade. Western analysts argue that this economic relationship has indirectly supported Moscow’s war efforts, even though Beijing has not supplied weapons or military aid.
At the same time, China has attempted to mediate a peace process, offering a 12-point peace plan in early 2023 that called for respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, but crucially did not demand Russia’s withdrawal from occupied Ukrainian territories. The plan was met with skepticism from Ukraine and its Western allies, who viewed it as too favorable to Moscow.
In addition to the Ukraine conflict, Xi’s speech touched upon another major geopolitical crisis: the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. As the situation in Gaza deteriorates, Xi reiterated China’s traditional sympathy for the Palestinian cause and stressed the importance of an immediate ceasefire.
“The conflict between the parties concerned is further escalating,” Xi said, referring to the renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas, which have resulted in thousands of casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza.
“We need to… stop the killing and work tirelessly for a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue,” Xi added.
China has historically maintained a pro-Palestinian stance in Middle Eastern diplomacy, advocating for the rights of Palestinians and calling for a two-state solution. In recent years, Beijing has increasingly positioned itself as a potential mediator in Middle Eastern conflicts, seeking to expand its influence in a region traditionally dominated by U.S. diplomacy.
Beijing’s stance on the Gaza conflict aligns with its broader foreign policy goals of promoting non-intervention and pushing for negotiated settlements in international disputes. Xi’s call for a ceasefire echoes similar statements from other countries, though it places particular emphasis on the need for a long-term solution to the Palestinian question, which China views as essential for lasting peace in the region.
Xi Jinping’s statements on Ukraine and Gaza reflect China’s broader diplomatic approach, which aims to project an image of a responsible global power advocating for peace while also preserving its strategic interests.
In both Ukraine and Gaza, China is walking a fine line. In Ukraine, Beijing’s position is complicated by its close ties to Russia and the desire to avoid antagonizing Western powers, with whom it has significant economic and trade relationships. In Gaza, China’s support for the Palestinian cause aligns with its efforts to bolster ties with the Muslim world, yet it must also manage relations with Israel, with whom it has growing economic and technological exchanges.
China’s approach is often described as “non-interventionist,” focusing on diplomacy and trade rather than military involvement or taking sides in conflicts. This stance has been central to Xi’s vision of a “community with a shared future for mankind,” a key concept in China’s foreign policy that emphasizes multipolarity and cooperation over unilateral action by any one country—particularly the United States.
Despite its claims of neutrality, China’s balancing act faces growing challenges. Its refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has strained relations with Europe and the United States, both of which view China’s stance as insufficiently critical of Russian aggression. The U.S. has repeatedly warned China against providing military aid to Russia, a red line that Beijing has thus far avoided crossing.
China’s economic relations with Russia, however, have flourished amid the war. Russian energy exports to China have surged, making Beijing a critical lifeline for Moscow’s economy. Meanwhile, Chinese companies have reportedly filled the gap left by Western firms that exited the Russian market following the imposition of sanctions.
This deepening economic relationship has fueled Western suspicions that China is providing covert support to Russia, despite official statements to the contrary. As a result, China has struggled to maintain its position as a credible mediator in the Ukraine conflict, with Kyiv and its Western backers viewing Beijing’s actions with suspicion.
