Norway urges China to use Moscow ties to help end Ukraine war

Norway used Wang Yi’s visit to Oslo to push Beijing to turn its ties with Moscow into pressure for a negotiated end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said China has the clearest channel to the Kremlin, arguing that Beijing is “probably the country with the best and most direct access to the Russian leadership,” and should use it to help bring talks closer.

The trip was made at the invitation of the four countries’ foreign ministers. Wang moved through a July 2 to July 8 Nordic tour that also included Denmark, Sweden and Finland. He opened the trip in Copenhagen, where he met Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen on July 3 before continuing north. In Oslo, Chinese and Norwegian officials discussed multilateralism, the peaceful settlement of disputes, global governance and world peace.

Espen Barth Eide, the foreign minister, said dialogue with China had been constructive, but Norwegian officials want any negotiations to begin without preconditions and with a ceasefire along the current front line in Ukraine.

Donald Trump had said a resolution to the war was getting closer, while NATO leaders were preparing for major talks in Turkey. Oslo also has a larger strategic interest in whether China can help unlock movement on Ukraine, because Stoere said there is real potential for deeper Europe-China cooperation, but Russia’s war and China’s closeness to Moscow are constraining that relationship.

China has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities before negotiations can resume, a line that overlaps with Norway’s ceasefire-first approach but still avoids direct pressure on Vladimir Putin. Earlier this year, European intelligence evidence showed Chinese and Russian military officials had organized a covert 2025 training program in China for about 200 Russian servicemen, including drone warfare instruction.