China’s President Xi Jinping expressed his approval of Russia’s ongoing communications with the United States aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis during a recent phone conversation with President Vladimir Putin.
The remarks came after the Kremlin indicated that Putin would be meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the upcoming days.
During the call, Xi reaffirmed China’s stance on the necessity for peace talks and a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as reported by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
The Kremlin revealed that Putin had reached out to Xi to inform him about the latest developments in U.S.-Russia discussions, during which Xi reiterated support for a long-term solution to the Ukraine situation.
This phone call was notably the second discussion between Xi and Putin in less than two months.
Putin is anticipated to visit China in September for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II.
Since Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the two nations have significantly strengthened their economic, trade, and security cooperation, marking a deterioration in Moscow’s relations with the West.
Beijing has maintained a neutral stance throughout the conflict, refusing to denounce Russia’s actions or call for troop withdrawal.
China asserts that it seeks a peaceful end to the fighting, while it has also accused Western countries of exacerbating the situation by supplying arms to Ukraine.
In contrast, President Trump recently expressed growing frustration towards Putin regarding the lack of progress towards peace in Ukraine.
He has made threats to impose tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil, inclusive of China, as part of his stance on the issue.
On Wednesday, Trump mentioned the possibility of announcing further tariffs on China, similar to the 25 percent duties already imposed on India for its Russian oil purchases.
In response, a spokesperson from the Chinese foreign ministry stated that Beijing’s trade and energy collaboration with Russia is justifiable and legitimate.
Guo Jiakun emphasized that China would continue to implement reasonable measures to secure its energy interests in alignment with national interests.
Discussions between Putin and Trump are reportedly being planned, though no definitive date or location has been confirmed.
Both Russian and U.S. officials have indicated that preparations for a summit are progressing, with speculations suggesting a possible meeting next week.
China has emerged as a potential venue for the anticipated Putin-Trump summit, with speculation that Trump might join Putin in early September.
The Kremlin also disclosed that Putin had engaged with the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, providing them updates regarding his discussions with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday.
Additionally, Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine during a phone call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, according to Belarusian state news agency BelTA.
Indian President Narendra Modi also connected with Putin to discuss Ukraine and their bilateral ties.
Modi expressed gratitude to Putin for updating him on the Ukraine situation, indicating a ‘very good and detailed conversation’ with his Russian counterpart.
He expressed anticipation for Putin’s anticipated visit to India later this year, without disclosing a specific date.
These conversations occur amid rising optimism regarding progress in the Ukraine conflict, now in its fourth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that Kyiv and its allies recognize the potential for a ceasefire, dependent on adequate pressure on Russia.
In his evening address to the nation, Zelenskyy noted that he had engaged in over a dozen dialogues with various global leaders and maintained constant communication with the United States.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed this sentiment, stating that a pause in the conflict could be forthcoming after his discussions with Zelenskyy.
Tusk remarked that while Zelenskyy was cautious, he remained optimistic about Ukraine’s prospects for peace and intended for Poland and other European nations to play a role in planning for a ceasefire and future peace arrangements.
“There are certain signals, and we also have an intuition, that perhaps a freeze in the conflict— I don’t want to say the end, but a freeze in the conflict— is closer than it is further away,” he stated at a news conference on Friday.
Despite Trump’s efforts to pressure Putin into negotiations, little advancement has been observed thus far.
While Russia’s larger military continues to make incremental advances in Ukraine, it also intensifies its bombardment of Ukrainian cities.
Russia and Ukraine remain significantly divergent in their conditions for achieving peace.
Nearly two weeks ago, Trump escalated his ultimatum to impose additional sanctions on Russia, including secondary tariffs targeting countries purchasing Russian oil, contingent on Kremlin progress toward settlement.
As the deadline passed on Friday, uncertainty loomed over what actions Trump would take as a result of the situation.
image source from：aljazeera
