WSJ: Chinese leader Xi Jinping to speak with Zelensky after meeting with Putin

Chinese leader Xi Jinping plans to speak with Volodymyr Zelensky online for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This is reported by The Wall Street Journal with reference to sources.

According to the publication, the conversation with the President of Ukraine will probably take place after Xiʼs potential visit to Moscow next week. The Chinese leader is also considering a visit to European countries as part of his trip to Russia, but the full route has not yet been agreed upon.

According to the publicationʼs sources, the Chinese leaderʼs visit to the Russian Federation and Xiʼs possible conversation with Zelensky reflect Beijingʼs desire to play a more active role in mediating the end of Russiaʼs war in Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal notes that a direct conversation with Zelensky would also strengthen Beijingʼs reputation as a global mediator after he facilitated a surprise diplomatic breakthrough between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Xi has not spoken to Ukraineʼs president since the outbreak of full-scale war, but has spoken with Putin several times online and in person, most notably in September 2022 in Uzbekistan.

• On February 24, 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China published a "peace plan" for the settlement of the war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Beijing calls for negotiations. It contains 12 principles, which, according to the authors, should contribute to the end of the Russian Federationʼs war against Ukraine. The word "war" is not mentioned in the document — in the English version of the document, the authors use the words "conflict" and "Ukrainian crisis".
• The Japanese publication Nikkei wrote that, according to China, the war in Ukraine will end in the summer of 2023 — that is why Beijing presented its "peace plan".