China's Special Representative for Eurasian Affairs, Li Hui, could not take part in a meeting of national security advisers and diplomatic representatives to discuss the Ukrainian Peace Formula in Malta due to the discrepancy between his own schedule and the time of the event, said Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of the President’s Office.

"China's Special Representative Li Hui participated in the previous meeting on the Peace Formula in Jeddah. At the same time - in Malta - he could not take part. We had a corresponding reaction from the Chinese side that such a meeting [with his personal participation] would not take place due to a discrepancy in schedules," Zhovkva said on the telethon.

At the same time, he stressed that the absence of a Chinese representative would not negatively affect the continuation of work on President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula.

At the same time, Zhovkva noted that "Kyiv certainly counts on the further participation of the Chinese side," recalling that Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong took part several times, including speaking during meetings of foreign diplomats with the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak on working on the provisions of the Peace Formula.

The deputy head of the President’s Office of Ukraine also said that "China's position, role and participation in this plan are very important."

"We know that China periodically recalls its initiatives regarding a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. And we, in turn, tell China that those points that coincide with the points of the Peace Formula can be taken into work, for example, the point on the territorial integrity of Ukraine and its sovereignty," Zhovkva said.

Currently, according to him, Kyiv is trying to attract the Chinese side to work on the point of return of all Ukrainian prisoners and deported children to Ukraine.

"As for nuclear security, China's position is very clear – no nuclear state can blackmail any non-nuclear state, including Ukraine, with the use of nuclear weapons," Zhovkva said.