Kiev, May 14 (IANS): The relatives of Azovstal forces have called on China to help with the extraction of Ukrainian troops from Mariupol.

The relatives of the fighters said at a press conference, "We ask China to intervene and become a peacemaker in this war, to become a lifeline for our fighters from Mariupol, from Azovstal," Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

The relatives are asking China to carry out the extraction and take the defenders of Mariupol, the wounded soldiers and the bodies of dead soldiers to a third country, where they will stay until the end of the war. Such a country could be Turkey, whose president has agreed to extraction to his country.

Relatives said that they have already addressed the leaders of all countries, and China is probably the only country to which they have not yet appealed.

"We ask Xi Jinping to do everything to save world values, to save the defenders of Mariupol," the relatives of Azovstal defenders said, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

According to them, the leaders of Ukraine have already addressed an official letter to Xi Jinping.

The Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine has stated that negotiations are underway with the mediation of Turkey, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross on the evacuation of the military from the Azovstal steelworks, starting with the seriously wounded.

Ukraine wants to sign a document on exactly how the evacuation from Azovstal will take place, and preparations are underway to sign it, the report said.