U.S. and European officials are looking to China to get Moscow involved in cease-fire talks

Some U.S. and European officials said they believed a planned spring counteroffensive in Ukraine could pave the way for talks between Kiev and Moscow before the end of the year, and that China could help bring Russia to the negotiating table.

The willingness to encourage talks and seek to give China a role in the talks represents a shift in thinking in the West, especially the US, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. Previously, the United States had been highly suspicious of any Chinese involvement given Beijing’s longstanding support for Moscow. But Secretary Blinken recently expressed cautious optimism that Beijing can help defuse the conflict.

The officials said the idea is based on a recognition that neither side can afford to continue fighting indefinitely, and that Beijing’s willingness to play a role in international peace talks should be tested, the report said. But they remain uncertain about Russia’s willingness to negotiate a cease-fire under Mr. Putin.

Interest in the talks has tied Washington more closely to some European countries, and a negotiated settlement has been the strongest idea this year, the report said. These European countries are anxious to see an end to the conflict, at least in its intensity. The United States, Britain and other countries have publicly said they should support Ukraine for as long as it takes to defeat Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron has been the most explicit in pushing Ukraine to seek talks with Russia after a spring counteroffensive. The White House and State Department have long insisted that all wars end at the negotiating table, but have said that requires a genuine interest from Russia in engaging in any negotiations in good faith. Providing military aid to Ukraine is meant to put Kiev in a stronger negotiating position.

While key White House National Security Council officials favor talks, the State Department and the CIA have been more skeptical and eager to see how Ukraine’s spring counteroffensive progresses before a diplomatic settlement can be brokered, according to European officials. The State Department and CIA didn’t respond to requests for comment, the report said.

Senior French and German officials familiar with the discussions with President Biden said they expected the White House to try to broker talks after the expected progress in the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the report said. The aim is for Ukraine to take back significant territory in the south, a development that will be seen as a victory for Ukraine, although Russia still controls much of the territory its troops have seized