China’s ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, has questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet republics, including Ukraine, during an interview with a Swiss journalist. When asked whether he considered the Crimean peninsula to be part of Ukraine, Lu replied that it depends on how the issue is perceived and recalled that Crimea was originally part of Russia and was handed over to Ukraine during the Soviet era. He also stated that these countries have no effective status in international law due to the lack of an international agreement to concretize their status as sovereign countries.
However, this stance has been criticized by countries such as Ukraine and the Baltic States, which have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Chinese ambassador’s statements. Crimea’s reincorporation into Russia in 2014, following a popular referendum in which 96.77% of voters expressed their support for reintegration, has been a topic of international controversy ever since, with Ukraine repeatedly expressing its desire to regain control over the peninsula.
In short, China’s ambassador to France has questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet countries and recalled Russia’s role in the Crimean peninsula. Although Lu Shaye has pointed out the importance of stopping the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, his comments have been criticized by some countries in the region, indicating the complexity of international relations in the region.