China’s Xi Jinping expressed willingness to speak to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the head of the EU said on Thursday, after French President Emmanuel Macron urged Beijing to talk sense to Russia over the war in Ukraine, transmits Reuters.
In closely watched talks, European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and Macron met with Xi in Beijing. Macron said the West must engage China to help end the crisis and prevent “spiralling” tensions that could split global powers into warring blocs.
Xi, who has sought to position China as a potential mediator in the conflict but has been seen by the West as favouring Russia, responded by saying he hoped Moscow and Kyiv could hold peace negotiations as soon as possible.
“It was interesting to hear that President Xi reiterated his willingness to speak” to Zelenskiy, Von der Leyen said. Xi said a conversation could happen when the “conditions and time are right”, she added.
Xi did not mention a possible conversation with Zelenskiy in his own comments after the meetings.
Zelenskiy has repeatedly asked Xi to meet him, including after the Chinese leader visited Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month. A French diplomatic source told Reuters that Xi was “ready” to call Zelenskiy.
