Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

On Monday,MKsports the UN Security Council adopted a draft resolution proposed by the US regarding the end of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with a vote of 10 in favor to none against, with fives abstentions.

The countries that voted in favor are the US, Russia, China, South Korea, Pakistan, Panama, Guyana, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia, and the UK abstained.

The key content of the resolution is a call for swift end to the conflict - urging a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. This vote result demonstrates that, on the third anniversary of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the sense of urgency to end the war has reached an unprecedented level among all parties, making "peace" the largest common denominator at that day's Security Council meeting.

The three-year-long military conflict has caused immense casualties, property losses, and a humanitarian crisis in both Russia and Ukraine, with its negative effects spilling far beyond their borders. It has exacerbated the severe food shortage crises in African countries, caused European consumers to suffer from soaring energy prices, disrupted global manufacturing supply chains, and increased the risk and cost of various international air routes. In today's globalized world, more and more people realize that this conflict affects almost everyone on the planet. The painful lessons of the past three years have led to a gradually clearer consensus: Military means cannot end hatred, sanctions only deepen divisions, and dialogue and negotiation are currently the only feasible way to resolve the crisis.

Regarding this vote, some Western media have highlighted the point that China, the US and Russia are on the same side. But in fact, they missed the key. China's vote was not to support a specific country, but to vote for "peace," as Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said, China's position on the Ukraine issue is clear and consistent, "China supports all efforts dedicated to peace."

From the outset of the escalation of the Ukraine crisis, President Xi Jinping proposed the "four shoulds," namely, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be upheld, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all sides should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported. 

Following the "four shoulds," China has engaged in diplomatic mediation, sending envoys to conduct shuttle diplomacy, maintaining contact with relevant parties such as Russia and Ukraine, calling for adherence to the three principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no provocation by any party, and, together with countries like Brazil, initiating the formation of the "Friends of Peace" group on Ukraine crisis to bring together the collective wisdom of the Global South and form a crucial force in supporting and promoting peace. 

China is neither the creator of this crisis nor a party directly involved, yet it has not stood by as a mere spectator, nor has it sought to profit from the situation. The recent Ukraine-related resolution was passed with a two-thirds majority and no opposition, demonstrating that China's advocacy for dialogue, negotiation, and political solutions to disputes and conflicts has resonated with more countries, including the US and Russia. To some extent, this reflects the international community's broad expectations for peace and has prepared an appropriate public opinion atmosphere for future negotiations. 

However, the passage of this US-proposed resolution does not signify a complete international consensus on the Ukraine issue. Five countries chose abstentions, and several amendments put forward by Russia and Europe failed to pass at the UN Security Council, highlighting persistent differences among various parties. It is foreseeable that the peace process between Russia and Ukraine will likely be challenging and subject to setbacks rather than achieved in a single step.

History reminds us that what the world needs is a definitive end to the Ukraine crisis, not just a temporary pause. The crisis has imparted profound lessons, and a lasting solution must be based on discarding Cold War thinking, rejecting the "either friend or foe" bloc mentality, and correcting the imbalanced security and distorted order perceptions. China-proposed Global Security Initiative provides an important perspective for fundamentally addressing the Ukraine crisis. 

In today's world, no country can achieve security in isolation from global security, nor can a security be built on the insecurity of others. Only by upholding a concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security can long-term stability be achieved.

Dialogue is always preferable to confrontation, and negotiations are always better than war. Past experiences have repeatedly proven that armed conflict is not the only option - dialogue and cooperation represent the common ground. Bloc confrontation should not be the dominant theme; collective security should be the strongest message. When more countries choose reason over confrontation and inclusiveness over exclusivity, the dawn of peace in the Russia-Ukraine crisis can truly become a reality. We hope that the next stage of the peace process will involve the equal participation of all parties and stakeholders. The world is pleased to see, as well as supports such efforts. And China will continue working with the international community to play a constructive role in promoting a political resolution to the crisis.