Chinese President Xi Jinping urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to negotiate with Ukraine during a phone call between the two leaders Friday afternoon, state media reported.
“China supports Russia and Ukraine to resolve issues through negotiations,” Xi said, according to China Central Television. Putin told Xi that “Russia is willing to conduct high-level talks with Ukraine,” the broad.
Beijing is trying to strike a balance in its approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one that allows it to unite with Moscow in the face of pressure from the U.S. and other nations in the West, while at the same time advancing efforts to present China as a responsible global power.
