Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping told his Ukrainian counterpart that Beijing will work to mediate peace between Kyiv and Moscow.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Xi made the remarks during an April 2 telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The call was the first time the two leaders talked since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in February last year. The conversation also served to fulfill a longstanding goal of Kyiv to have an audience with China – a close friend of its enemy.
Zelensky named former cabinet minister Pavlo Riabikin as Ukraine's new ambassador to Beijing, signaling the importance of the newly-established links with China. Prior to his appointment, Riabikin had served as strategic industries minister.
The Ukrainian leader later described his call with Xi as "long and meaningful." Zelensky tweeted: "I believe that this call, as well as the appointment of [Riabikin as] Ukraine's ambassador to China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations."
Meanwhile, Chinese state media reported that Xi told Zelensky about China's focus on promoting peace talks and endeavoring for a ceasefire at the soonest possible time. The Chinese leader also said Beijing would send special representatives to Ukraine and hold talks with all parties seeking peace.
"As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a responsible major country, we will neither sit idly by nor pour oil on fire, still less seek to profit from it," Xi said.
Talks between the two warring nations are nowhere in sight. Kyiv is demanding that Russia withdraw its troops, while Moscow is pressuring Ukraine to recognize its claims to annexed territories.
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Enter China, whose chief executive Xi is the most powerful world leader to have refrained from denouncing Russia's actions – even visiting the country and talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin in March. The Chinese paramount leader has promoted a 12-point peace plan since February. While the West has met this plan with skepticism, Ukraine has cautiously welcomed it. (Related: Freedom Force Battalion: Russia, China working together to free the world from the NWO – Brighteon.TV.)
Kremlin reacts to Xi-Zelensky phone call
Russian officials also gave their two cents following news of the call between Xi and Zelensky.
"We note the readiness of the Chinese side to make (an) effort to establish a negotiation process," said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was familiar with the details of what the two leaders had discussed.
"We are ready to welcome anything that could hasten the end of the conflict in Ukraine and Russia achieving all the goals it has set itself," Peskov said. "As for the fact that they communicated, that is a sovereign matter for each of these countries and a question of their bilateral dialog."
Meanwhile, China touted that it is in a position to help mediate the conflict because it has not taken sides.
"What China has done to help resolve the Ukraine crisis has been above board, said Yu Jun, the deputy director of the Department of Eurasia of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China's resolve in brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine followed its successful peace deal that re-established diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In March, Tehran and Riyadh announced that they have agreed to resume relations – thanks to a deal brokered by Beijing. In a joint statement, both countries said embassies in their respective countries will reopen within two months' time.
According to The Hill, Iran and Saudi Arabia officially broke off diplomatic relations in 2016. However, tensions between Sunni Riyadh and Shia Tehran have remained. With the normalization of ties between the two nations, The Hill pointed out that China's influence in the global stage is growing.
Listen to Judge Andrew Napolitano and Col. Douglas Macgregor as they discuss China's talks with Ukraine below.
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