UNITED NATIONS, December 6. /TASS/. China is calling on all sides of the conflict in Ukraine to take a pragmatic stance and intensify efforts to achieve peace, said Geng Shuang, China’s deputy envoy to the UN.

"China's position on the issue of Ukraine remains unchanged. We have always stood on the side of peace and dialogue and have always been committed to promoting peace talks to achieve a ceasefire and end the conflict as soon as possible," he said at a meeting of the UN Security Council. "We call on all sides to adopt a calm and pragmatic stance and intensify their efforts to achieve peace so that hostilities cease as soon as possible."

Geng Shuang said China continues to work with all sides and "is making tireless efforts to promote a political settlement of the crisis."

"Prolonging and complicating the Ukrainian crisis is not in the interests of either side, and the international community should make joint efforts to minimize the negative side effects of this crisis," the diplomat stated.

Russia has repeatedly expressed its position on the situation around Ukraine at different levels. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier said Moscow has always been and remains open for a diplomatic settlement of the crisis and is ready to respond to serious proposals, while the Kiev regime has interrupted and banned talks with Russia.