A mediator in Russia's war with Ukraine, China's Xi holds call with Zelenskyy

#Ukraine #Zelensky #Xi Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky by telephone on Wednesday for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fulfilling a longstanding goal of Kyiv which had publicly sought such talks for months. Zelensky immediately signalled the importance of the chance to open closer relations with Russia's most powerful friend, naming a former cabinet minister as Ukraine's new ambassador to Beijing. #Ukraine #Xi #Zelensky

We won’t sit by or seek to profit from war, Ukraine leader told

KYIV/BEIJING: Chinese president Xi Jinping spoke to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy by telephone for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fulfilling a longstanding goal of Kyiv which had publicly sought such talks for months.

Zelenskyy immediately signalled the importance of the chance to open closer relations with Russia’s most powerful friend, naming a former cabinet minister as Ukraine’s new ambassador to Beijing.

Describing the hour-long phone call as “long and meaningful”, Zelenskyy tweeted: “I believe that this call, as well as the appointment of Ukraine’s ambassador to China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations.”

Xi told Zelenskyy that China would send special representatives to Ukraine and hold talks with all parties seeking peace, Chinese state media reported.

Xi, the most powerful world leader to have refrained from denouncing Russia’s invasion, made a state visit to Moscow last month. Since February, he has promoted a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine, greeted sceptically by the West but cautiously welcomed by Kyiv.

China will focus on promoting peace talks, and make efforts for a ceasefire as soon as possible, Xi told Zelenskyy, according to the Chinese state media reports.

“As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible country, we will neither sit idly by, nor pour oil on fire, still less seek to profit from it,” Xi said.

In a readout of the call on Telegram messenger, Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed “possible cooperation to establish a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine”.

The White House welcomed the call, which it said it had no advanced knowledge of, but said it was too soon to tell whether it would lead to a peace deal.

“That’s a good thing,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said. “Now, whether that’s going to lead to some sort of meaningful peace movement, or plan, I don’t think we know that.”

France also welcomed the call, with President Emmanuel Macron’s office saying the French leader had pushed Xi to hold this call with Zelenskiy during his visit to Beijing this month.

The 14-month war is at a juncture, with Ukraine preparing to launch a counteroffensive in the coming weeks or months following a Russian winter offensive that made only incremental advances despite the bloodiest fighting so far.

There are no peace talks in sight, with Kyiv demanding Russia withdraw its troops and Moscow insisting Ukraine must recognise its claims to have annexed seized territory. 

 

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