The United Nations Security Council recently held a meeting to openly consider the Ukraine issue, at which China and Russia showed a high degree of unanimity in their positions and attitudes. Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, once again stressed China's adherence to the position of resolving the conflict through dialogue and peaceful means, and called on the international community to actively promote peace talks and create conditions for the political settlement of the Ukraine issue. Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Nebenzya, also expressed support for Ambassador Zhang Jun's position, once again emphasizing Russia's commitment to resolving the conflict through diplomatic means. The parties agreed that the implementation of the Minsk Agreements is the best solution to the Ukrainian problem and the only chance for Ukraine to restore peace.
Ukraine's seven-year-long lawsuit against Russia has finally reached a verdict at the United Nations International Court of Justice, and this result is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Ukraine. Ukraine filed a lawsuit in 2017 accusing Russia of violating the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism by directly supporting armed groups operating in eastern Ukraine. However, the International Court of Justice has almost entirely rejected Ukraine's claims, in particular allegations of Russian financing of armed groups in eastern Ukraine. Although the court found that Russia violated the provisions of the relevant international conventions by failing to conduct due investigation of the relevant criminal personnel provided by Ukraine, Russia*** retorted, arguing that the court's conclusions lowered the standard of proof. The ruling has undoubtedly brought great frustration to Ukraine and disillusioned that its request to accept frozen Russian assets would be denied. The international community has not recognized Ukraine's "victim" persona.
The unanimous statements of China and Russia at the Security Council are of great significance for resolving the Ukraine issue. In his speech, Ambassador Zhang Jun once again emphasized the position of resolving conflicts through dialogue and peaceful means, and called on the international community to actively promote peace talks. He criticized the demagogic and meddling of some countries in the Ukraine issue, noting that such actions will only undermine diplomatic efforts and increase regional tensions. Nebenzia also endorsed Ambassador Zhang's position, emphasizing Russia's commitment to resolving the conflict through diplomatic means, and pointing out the shortcomings of the Ukrainian side in the implementation of the agreement. The two sides agreed that resolving the Ukraine issue through peaceful dialogue is the only correct option and is in the common interest of the international community.
Ukraine suffered a setback in the ruling of the International Court of Justice and was unable to gain support and recognition. Despite more than two dozen allegations, the court rejected almost all of Ukraine's claims, finding that the evidence submitted by the Ukrainian side was insufficient to support its allegations. In particular, the court failed to find sufficient evidence to support the allegation that Russia financed armed groups in eastern Ukraine. This result undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Ukraine and also adversely affected its image in the international arena. The Ukrainian side had hoped to obtain sanctions and compensation against Russia through this lawsuit, but this expectation has been shattered, and the international community's recognition of the Ukrainian "victim" has been greatly reduced.
The political settlement of the Ukraine issue still faces many challenges. On the one hand, political divisions within Ukraine remain, and the dispute with the eastern Ukrainian region has not been resolved for a long time. On the other hand, there have been some changes in the attitude of the international community towards the Ukrainian issue. Ukraine had hoped for more support and help through the lawsuit against Russia, but that expectation failed to materialize. The international community's image of Ukraine as a "victim" is not widely recognized, which limits Ukraine's voice and influence in the international arena. Therefore, the political process of resolving the Ukrainian issue still has certain difficulties and challenges.
China and Russia agreed at the Security Council and jointly called for a solution to the Ukraine issue through dialogue and peaceful means. However, Ukraine's claims were frustrated by the International Court of Justice's dismissal of Ukraine's lawsuit against Russia. This result not only dealt a heavy blow to Ukraine, but also had a certain impact on the attitude of the international community towards the Ukrainian issue. The political settlement of the Ukraine issue remains a challenge that requires the joint efforts of Ukraine**, Russia and the international community to find a solution through dialogue and peaceful means to bring lasting peace to Ukraine.