U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned the UN Security Council not to be fooled by calls for a temporary or unconditional cease-fire in Ukraine as the council met to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion.
Blinken's warning came just hours after China called for a comprehensive cease-fire as part of a 12-point plan that largely reiterated its approach since Russia launched the invasion on February 24, 2022.
SEE ALSO: A Chinese Proposal To End The War In Ukraine? Not Quite"Any peace that legitimizes Russia's seizure of land by force will weaken the [UN] Charter and send a message to would-be aggressors everywhere that they can invade countries and get away with it," Blinken said.
Blinken addressed the 15-member body over Western concerns that Moscow would use a potential cease-fire to rest and rearm.
The 193-member UN General Assembly on February 23 overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution calling for a "comprehensive, just, and lasting peace" in line with the founding UN Charter and again demanded Moscow withdraw its troops and stop fighting.
China, which claims to have a neutral stance in the war, abstained, and its representative told the General Assembly that "sending weapons will not bring peace."
Beijing has said it has a “no-limits friendship” with Russia and has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion.
In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed some elements of the Chinese cease-fire proposal but said it was not a concrete plan.
“China has shown its thoughts. I believe that the fact that China started talking about Ukraine is not bad. But the question is what follows the words. The question is in the steps and where they will lead to,” Zelenskiy said at a news conference.
The proposal corresponds in some ways with international law and territorial integrity, he said, adding, "Let's work with China on this point."
Zelenskiy also said there were parts he disagreed with and urged Beijing not to provide Moscow with arms. The United States has accused China of considering the idea of supplying arms to Russia and has warned Beijing against such a move.