A senior Russian diplomat vowed to promote "global peace and security" during a visit to China as Ukraine continues its incursion into Russia and Beijing pushes for more engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv.

Russian deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov met his Chinese counterpart Ma Zhaoxu in Beijing on Friday, a month after the leaders of the two countries met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kazakhstan.

"The two sides said that they will take the important consensus of the two heads of state as a fundamental guideline, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, and contribute to strengthening global strategic stability and promoting world peace and security," China's foreign ministry said.

The two diplomats also mentioned Brics - a bloc of emerging economies that includes China - whose next summit will be held in Kazan, Russia in October.

"The two sides emphasised that Brics is an important platform for solidarity and cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries and that China and Russia will continue to closely communicate and collaborate to jointly promote the success of the Brics leaders' meeting in Kazan," the ministry added.

President Vladimir Putin (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Astana, Kazakhstan on July 3. 

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will visit Moscow from Monday to Tuesday for a regular meeting and hold talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Chernyshenko, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Beijing has shown greater interest in intervening in the Ukraine war in recent months, and especially in increasing its engagement with Kyiv.

On August 6, the Ukrainian army crossed the border into the Russian territory of Kursk Oblast, marking a new phase of the war with Ukraine on the offensive.

Amid the escalation, China's special peace envoy, Li Hui, called his Vatican counterpart Cardinal Matteo Zuppi earlier this week - a surprising move as Beijing and the Holy See do not have diplomatic relations.

Last month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba visited China and met his counterpart Wang Yi. Their meeting in China's southern economic hub of Guangzhou marked Kuleba's first official visit to China since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022.

Wang said China would continue to promote a peaceful solution between Russia and Ukraine and send humanitarian aid to the latter.

In early July, Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Astana, Kazakhstan during the SCO summit.

Xi said the two countries should continuously "nurture the unique value of China-Russia relations and explore the endogenous dynamics of cooperation".

Meanwhile, Putin said ties between the two nations had reached "a golden age".

"We have stated that Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation are in the best period of their history," Putin said.

The war in Ukraine has killed at least 11,520 civilians and wounded at least 23,640, according to a report from the United Nations in July. Military personnel casualties number in the tens of thousands for both Ukraine and Russia.

In June, China decided not to attend a peace conference in Switzerland in which Russia and Ukraine took part, casting doubts on China's willingness to help resolve the conflict with Western nations.

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Ukraine’s long game

Almost two weeks since Ukraine launched its surprise incursion into Russian territory, the Kremlin is still struggling to repel Kyiv’s forces. The situation is becoming increasingly embarrassing for Vladimir Putin. He is reported to be diverting armies from elsewhere on the front line towards Kursk, while around 200,000 Russians have been evacuated from their homes.

It remains to be seen what Ukraine’s longer-term intentions are, but the operation may have already changed the course of the war. Not only has it again exposed deficiencies in the state of the Russian military. If Ukraine is able to maintain control of even a small slice of the Kremlin’s territory, it may shift the calculus in any future ceasefire negotiations. Would Putin be prepared to accept a deal to freeze the conflict if that involved leaving Russian land in Kyiv’s hands?

In the shorter term, it has highlighted the extent to which Western restrictions on Ukraine’s use of certain weapons are tying Kyiv’s hands. British Challenger 2 tanks are said to be operating on Russian territory for the first time, but President Zelensky remains frustrated that Ukraine is restricted in firing Storm Shadow missiles and other long-range weaponry into Russia itself.

Western leaders are understandably fearful of escalation, although previous Kremlin red lines have been crossed without Putin acting on his threats. But Ukraine is fighting a war for its survival. If it has judged that attack is the best form of defence, is the West really right to gainsay that?

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North Korea condemns Ukraine's incursion into Russia as act of terror

 North Korea condemned Ukraine's incursion into Russia as an unforgivable act of terror backed by Washington and the West, adding it would always stand with Russia as it seeks to protect its sovereignty, state media said on Sunday.

Ukraine's drive into Russia is a product of the anti-Russia confrontational policy of the United States, which is pushing the situation to the brink of World War Three, KCNA news agency said.

The U.S. handed "astronomical" sums of lethal weapons to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the report said.

"We strongly condemn the armed attack against the Russian territory by the Zelenskiy puppet regime under the control and support of the United States and the West as an unforgivable act of aggression and terror," North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement, according to KCNA.

North Korea has dramatically upgraded its ties with Russia in the past year with two summit meetings by their leaders who pledged closer cooperation in all areas.

In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact in Pyongyang on "comprehensive strategic partnership" that included a mutual defence agreement.

South Korea, Ukraine and the United States have accused North Korea of supplying artillery and missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. North Korea and Russia have denied the allegations.

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