On Wednesday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky had their first known conversation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

This conversation comes as China aims to position itself as a potential mediator in the ongoing conflict. Zelensky expressed his interest in speaking with Xi, and after their call, he stated that he believes it will strengthen the bilateral relations between China and Ukraine.

During the call, Xi emphasized the importance of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity as the political basis of China-Ukrainian relations, CNN reported.

He also reiterated China’s stance on the Ukraine conflict, which is to promote peace and talks.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that it would send an envoy, Li Hui, to Ukraine and other countries to facilitate communication with all parties and reach a political settlement. Li Hui previously served as the Chinese ambassador to Russia.

The call between Xi and Zelensky comes shortly after Xi’s state visit to Russia, where he met with Vladimir Putin in March.

During the visit, the two leaders affirmed their alignment on several issues, including their shared mistrust of the United States, as reported by CNN.

The call also follows controversial remarks made by China’s top diplomat in Paris, who suggested that former Soviet republics had no status under international law, sparking outrage across Europe.

Written by staff