BEIJING, February 28. /TASS/. The Chinese government has urged the parties to the conflict in Ukraine to return to the path of negotiations and implement a political settlement on the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular briefing Monday.
"We call on all parties to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and a political settlement as soon as possible. We also suggest undertaking a comprehensive settlement of the Ukraine problem through negotiations and consultations," he said.
He also noted that China is monitoring the situation in Ukraine and took note of Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to put Russian deterrence forces on special alert.
"We call on all parties concerned to demonstrate calmness and restraint and to avoid further escalation," he stressed.
On February 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the West’s aggressive rhetoric by ordering the Russian army's deterrence forces to switch to a special combat duty mode. He gave this order at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, First Deputy Defense Minister Valery Gerasimov. The meeting took place against the backdrop of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Moscow launched it in response to an appeal for help from the leaders of the Donbass republics.