Xi Jinping calls for diplomatic resolution of Russia-Ukraine dispute
- ‘All parties concerned should stick to the general direction of a political settlement,’ Xi is reported as saying during a call to French President Emmanuel Macron
- Discussion outlined ways the two nations could work together, though French ministry says Macron raised issues like Xinjiang and China’s failure to ratify ILO conventions
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine crisis on Wednesday, in a rare public comment concerning what has become the world’s most dangerous geopolitical flashpoint.
“All parties concerned should stick to the general direction of a political settlement, make full use of multilateral platforms including the Normandy format, and seek a comprehensive solution to the Ukraine issue through dialogue and consultation,” Xi said during a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a readout by China’s foreign ministry.
The statement comes as tensions increase on Europe’s eastern flank. A build-up of more than 130,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s border has driven the European Union’s relations with Russia to their lowest point since the Cold War.
There is much speculation in capitals across the bloc about whether China would back Russian aggression in Ukraine.
According to the French readout of Wednesday’s call – much longer than the ordinarily spartan statements from Paris – Xi “praised the action of France and Germany within the framework of the Normandy Format and reiterated his full support for the implementation of the Minsk Protocol”.