Incident in Moscow should spur efforts to accelerate the Ukraine peace process

Law enforcers are seen on duty on the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on June 24, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

This is an editorial from China Daily.

The world has had attentive eyes on Moscow, as Wagner Group mercenaries advanced on the Russian capital before their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered them to turn back to "avoid bloodshed".

Having seemingly ended as abruptly as it started, there has been little time to take stock of the situation. Nonetheless, the incident should serve to accelerate efforts to secure a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, which has been a contributory cause of the dramatic event.

If the United States-led pro-Ukraine camp regards the incident in Moscow as a sign that it should intensify its military support to Kyiv in a bid to bring the Russian regime to its knees, it will only worsen the situation.

Since the one-year anniversary of the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February, various members of the international community, including China, Brazil, Indonesia, India and a group of African countries, have all made proposals aimed at promoting talks to secure a political settlement.

However, for some time, these voices for peace and related pro-peace efforts have been muffled and compromised by warmongering cries that there can only be a final victory for Ukraine, if not the US. The incident in Russia should not embolden those making those cries to act rashly in pursuit of that aim.

Instead it should spur countries to further strengthen their coordination and cooperation to advance the peace agenda to prevent either side of the conflict from throwing the helve after the hatchet.

If the conflict is allowed to escalate in a dangerous direction, it could lead to the nightmare scenario of nuclear war.

It is to be hoped that both parties to the conflict can remain calm and exercise restraint. Other parties should refrain from escalating tensions. In particular, everything should be done to avert any possibility of nuclear weapons being used.

Now is the time for all peace-loving countries in the world to rally to the cause of persuading the two belligerents to sit down and talk.

The key to prevent the Ukraine crisis from happening again is to form a lasting, effective and balanced security mechanism in Europe rather than force either of the two belligerents off the map.

No country is in a position to savor the experience of schadenfreude while witnessing the Moscow drama as if it is safely watching a deadly fire from across a river.

China is willing to work with all parties in pursuit of a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and it will do all it can to facilitate the process of diplomatic negotiations, and create and accumulate the conditions for the final settlement of the crisis.