China increases its chances to mediate in Ukraine war - Feygin

He shared his opinion on Espreso TV

‘China is acting behind the backs of North Korea and partly Moscow, depending on how the West will react - whether it will show weakness or manage to control the situation and nip it in the bud. So far, we have not seen this. China is waiting for Washington to come to it with proposals to resolve this issue, because this is a step towards expanding the war. The involvement of North Korea in the war in Eastern Europe means that two countries will now be involved in a military conflict,' said Mark Feygin.

According to him, the Russian State Duma has recently ratified an agreement on military assistance to Pyongyang, which means that the legal framework is being laid.

‘China expects to resolve the issue with Taiwan in the course of such possible, potential appeals. Although there are many other issues - economic, regional and other - that China is ready to resolve with Washington and is waiting for these proposals. There is no doubt that China influences the North Korean leadership and can ensure their security decisions or the participation of DPRK troops outside the geography of North Korea. The North Korean army is trained entirely in China, which assumes responsibility for its training. Not to mention the fact that 90% of the DPRK's economy depends on China,’ the politician stressed.

In his opinion, Pyongyang's ignoring Beijing's opinion is completely impossible.

‘But Beijing is interested in how the situation will develop: either North Korean participation will be insignificant, they will die or be captured, or by this participation China will achieve what the West saves and will look for some kind of Chinese peacekeeping mission in the conflict with Moscow. The fact is that Washington does not want China to participate on an equal footing in the settlement of the war in Ukraine because it does not consider China an equal. The US has repeatedly said that China is nothing more than a regional power. They have their reasons for this, but Beijing wants to change this situation. That is why China is involved and interested in these events,' Feygin commented.

• On 24 October, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said during the BRICS summit in Kazan that he believed it was necessary to de-escalate the war in Ukraine as soon as possible.