Beijing, Jul 23 (IANS): Ukraine is ready to hold talks with Russia to end their conflict and achieve a "just and lasting peace", Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, as per Chinese officials.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning shared details on the agenda of the top Ukrainian diplomat’s visit to China – the first since the start of the conflict in February 2022 – as well as his discussions with Wang, RT reported.

Mao said that the ongoing Moscow-Kiev conflict was high on the agenda, and Kuleba said that “Ukraine is ready and willing to engage in dialogue and negotiations with Russia.”

“Of course, the negotiations should be rational and substantive, aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace,” he added, as quoted by Mao.

Mao said Wang had warned that there was a "risk of escalation and spillover" of the conflict, adding that “China believes that the resolution of all conflicts must eventually return to the negotiation table". "Recently, both Ukraine and Russia have sent signals of willingness to negotiate to varying degrees," the Chinese Minister said.

Kuleba’s trip to China comes after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky said earlier this week told visiting Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, that he wanted to end the conflict "as soon as possible" and signalled readiness to engage with Russia. His stand was in contrast to his 2022 presidential decree, ruling out all talks with the current leadership in Moscow and then, his peace formula which the Russian leadership has dismissed as "delusional".

In June, Ukraine attended the ‘peace summit’ in Switzerland, which focused on several points of Zelensky’s formula. However, Moscow was not invited, and Beijing also kept away from the event, arguing that Russia needed to be part of the process. Several participants also later withdrew their signatures from the final document.