The Chinese special envoy to Kyiv, Li Hui, stressed that "there is no magic solution to the crisis," while reiterating his calls for Russia and Ukraine to start talks to stop the war, as Beijing announced Thursday.

China, Russia's strategic ally, refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and tried to present itself as a neutral mediator who could contribute to ending the conflict.

Li visited Ukraine on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he held talks with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and other officials.

Li is the highest ranking Chinese official to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.

"There is no magic solution to the crisis, and all parties must take the initiative on their own, build mutual trust and create conditions for stopping war and dialogue," said Li, the Chinese special envoy for Eurasian affairs, according to a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Li's visit to Kiev was part of a European tour to present Beijing's proposals to end the war.

In his talks with Ukrainian officials, including Kuleba, Li added that China "will continue to provide assistance to Ukraine within its capabilities."

Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow in March.

In April, he spoke on the phone for an hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine's Western allies have criticized Xi Jinping for refusing to condemn the invasion and maintaining China's strategic alliance with Russia even as Moscow faces increasing international isolation.