BRUSSELS, September 2. /TASS/. Moscow’s participation in a potential peace conference on Ukraine is a must but it is not up to the EU to decide when to invite Russia, Peter Stano, the European Commission’s lead spokesman for foreign affairs and security policy, said.

"It is not for us to decide who will be participating or not. We said on a number of occasions that eventually Russia’s participation will be necessary," he said at a press conference in Brussels, pointing out that organizers must make a decision on the issue.

According to Stano, Moscow must decide on its own whether to participate in a peace conference on Ukraine.

He also stressed that China’s participation in the potential new peace conference on Ukraine is pivotal due to Beijing and Moscow’s close ties. Stano emphasized that Brussels expects and urges China "to use its influence as a permanent member of the Security Council of the UN, as a very close partner of Russia, to exercise its influence," he added.

The Kiev-initiated forum on Ukraine was held in Burgenstock, Switzerland on June 15-16. Armenia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, the Holy See, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Mexico, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates did not sign the summit communique. Russia was not invited. Most UN delegates did not attend either.