Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said that China's attempts to mediate peace in Ukraine will likely help Russia rearm the conflict and prolong it.

Joly said in a statement released today, Monday, that the only way to end the war is for "Russian President Vladimir Putin to lay down his arms and leave Ukraine," accusing Moscow of resorting to Beijing based on a false premise.

Joly also said in the statement: "Let us be clear, the Russian regime is looking to buy time to resupply, recruit, and reattack. A ceasefire that is not based on Russia withdrawing its forces from Ukrainian territories will only serve Putin's agenda by freezing the conflict before his losses become greater."

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Russia today, Monday, to hold peace talks after Beijing presented a proposal calling for an end to the conflict, although Xi has no plans to visit Kyiv.

For her part, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she would not comment on Xi's motives, but said everyone should reject Moscow's "illegal and barbaric" invasion of Ukraine.

She added at an event held in Oshawa, Ontario: "The people responsible for this invasion are war criminals. Everyone in the world has a responsibility to be very clear about that."

Freeland also pointed out that the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant last Friday against Putin facing war crimes charges.

Canada and other G7 countries have said since last October that they will support Ukraine "for as long as it takes" with humanitarian and military aid.

However, developing countries expressed regret at feeling forced to choose between the Russian invasion and Western opposition to it.

Also at last month's Munich Security Conference, countries like Colombia argued that the conflict is diverting funding and attention away from the climate crisis, while other countries like Namibia said the focus should be on ending violence rather than blaming.

Beijing argued along the same lines, accusing Western powers of escalating the conflict through arms shipments.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday: "Our position has always been that dialogue and negotiations provide the fundamental path out of the Ukrainian crisis, and that the international community needs to play a constructive role."

Wang also rejected reports that the US State Department found Chinese-made ammunition in Ukraine.