For the last three years, China has repeatedly signalled a willingness to act as a peacemaker in the war in Ukraine. There were rounds of shuttle diplomacy by Beijing's envoy to countries from South Africa to Indonesia.

US and Russian officials held their first talks on Ukraine this week in Saudi Arabia in a meeting that excluded Kyiv and European representatives - raising fears across the continent that Donald Trump may be willing to sacrifice Ukrainian interests in the hope of a deal with Vladimir Putin.

China supports Donald Trump’s bid to strike a deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister said. At the G20 summit in South Africa on Thursday, Wang Yi said: “China supports all efforts conducive to peace (in Ukraine), including the recent consensus reached between the United States and Russia.”