Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Russia to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin to discuss the resolution of the long-standing Ukraine war.
China's 12-point plan for resolving the conflict has received criticism from NATO and the United States for not condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed concern ahead of Xi's visit, saying a China-brokered peace deal would benefit Russia at Ukraine's expense.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia next week aims to promote peace, but the trip's focus will be on the resolution of the Ukraine war.
The 12-point plan for ending the conflict, published by China last month, calls for the protection of civilians and for Russia and Ukraine to respect each other's sovereignty.
The United States and NATO, however, do not view China's efforts to mediate the conflict as credible because Beijing has yet to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ahead of the visit, John Kirby expressed fears that a China-brokered peace deal would give Russia an advantage over Ukraine, emphasizing a need for a "just" and "sovereign" resolution.
Despite criticisms, Xi's visit will go ahead as planned, and discussions are expected to focus on ways to resolve the ongoing Ukraine conflict.