Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed hope that Europe would soon return to peace and stability, while his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said he was open to talks on the Ukraine crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he was “grateful” to Beijing for trying to find a solution to the military crisis in Ukraine and welcomed growing economic ties with China.
Putin spoke at a news conference in Beijing alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping, a day after he said his troops were advancing “on all fronts” in Ukraine. Putin said:
“I will inform the President of the People’s Republic of China about the situation surrounding the Ukraine crisis. We are grateful to our Chinese friends and colleagues for the initiatives they are putting forward to resolve this problem.”Â
Moscow says it is open to talks with Ukraine on resolving the crisis. China has positioned itself as a neutral party in a conflict it has never condemned and in which it has tried to present itself as a mediator.
In Beijing, Putin also criticised Western-led security alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, a mutual concern between Moscow and Beijing. He said the “closed military-political alliances” in the region are “very harmful” and “counterproductive.”
Growth of Russia-China co-operation
China has become Russia’s most important political and economic partner since the military conflict in Ukraine began in February 2022.
Putin on Thursday welcomed those growing ties, despite what he said were Western efforts to drive a wedge between the two countries. He said the share of bilateral trade conducted in roubles and yuan has surpassed 90 per cent. The Russian leader added:
“And it continues to grow, meaning mutual trade and investment is reliably protected from the influence of third countries.”
Chinese exports to Russia have recently declined following threats from the United States that Chinese companies and banks could suffer if they help Russia obtain sanctioned goods. Putin also said Russian and Chinese banks and payment institutions will strengthen their contacts and co-operation.
Meanwhile, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that China’s participation in the conference on Ukraine in Switzerland would not add to the outcome of the event. Asked by the media how Russia views China’s possible participation in this conference, Peskov said:
“The balanced approach of the Chinese can only ennoble any conference, from our point of view, but it will not add efficiency to this particular event.”
Russia does not intend to take part in the conference on Ukraine in Switzerland even if it gets official invitation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.