China calls on parties involved in Ukraine conflict to exercise rationality and restraint: Chinese envoy to UN

China reiterated its call for all parties involved in the Ukraine conflict to exercise rationality and restraint, effectively comply with international humanitarian law, and avoid attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said on Tuesday.

Since the crisis in Ukraine escalated in February 2022, the ongoing conflict has led to a large number of casualties among innocent civilians and destruction of infrastructures, triggering a dire humanitarian crisis and generating a huge spillover effect, which is a source of deep concern for China, Geng said at the UN Security Council briefing on Ukraine, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

China remains deeply concerned that the war has not ceased, but rather intensified, and that vicious attacks have occurred from time to time, resulting in serious casualties, Geng added.

There are no winners in conflict and confrontation, and military means cannot bring lasting peace. Geng stressed that an early ceasefire and political settlement is in the interests of all parties, and the priority is to cool down the situation by observing the "three principles" of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no fanning of the flame by any party.

On the Ukraine issue, China has always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be adhered to, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported.

China calls on the parties to the conflict to demonstrate political will, meet each other halfway and start peace talks at an early date. Geng also urged the international community, based on an objective and impartial position, to create conditions conducive to putting an early end to the fighting and play an active role in this regard.

China will continue to actively promote peace and dialogue in its own way, and will make unremitting efforts and play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Ukrainian issue, Geng said.

Russia on Tuesday rejected claims of the country's alleged attacks on a children's hospital in Kiev, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov said Russian strikes are carried out against critical infrastructure and military targets related to Ukraine's military potential.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that "many eyewitnesses and other sources" have confirmed that the hospital had been hit by a Western-made surface-to-air missile from the Ukrainian air defense system that went off course.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday on Telegram that the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kiev was hit by a Russian missile on Monday, adding that the strikes had killed 38 people and injured 190, according to preliminary reports.