Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, marking the first time the two leaders spoke since Russia launched its invasion last year. On Twitter, Zelensky said the conversation was “meaningful.”
“I had a long and meaningful phone call with President Xi Jinping. I believe that this call, as well as the appointment of Ukraine’s ambassador to China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations,” Zelensky wrote.
According to a Chinese readout of the call, Xi expressed to Zelensky Beijing’s position on the war and called for diplomacy. “President Xi pointed out that the Ukraine crisis is evolving in complex ways with major impacts on the international landscape. On the Ukraine crisis, China always stands on the side of peace. Its core stance is to facilitate talks for peace,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Xi emerged as a potential mediator between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin after Beijing released a 12-point peace plan for the conflict in February. Xi told Zelensky that China will “continue to facilitate talks for peace and make its efforts for early ceasefire and restoration of peace.”
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China will send officials to Ukraine and other countries in the region to have “in-depth communication with all parties on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.” The ministry added that Beijing has provided Ukraine with humanitarian assistance and will continue to do so.
The Biden administration has discouraged peace talks throughout the war and rejected the idea of China as a mediator when it released its peace plan. Ahead of Xi’s trip to meet Putin in Moscow last month, the White House came out against a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Despite the US position, the White House said Wednesday that it was a “good thing” Xi and Zelensky spoke. “Now, whether that’s going to lead to some sort of meaningful peace movement, or plan, or proposal, I just don’t think we know that right now,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry threw cold water on the idea of China’s efforts leading to peace talks on Wednesday, saying the Ukrainian government “has been rejecting all reasonable initiatives aimed at finding a political and diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis.”
Z may talk to China all he wants. The fact is we, the U.S. of A. tell him what to do. This is not Ukraine’s war, it is our war with Russia. Z has already said that Russia must leave, and Donbas and Crimea revert back to Ukraine, both non-starters. This is a war for the shareholders and CEOs of the MIC.
maybe china’s pres Xi is a shareholder of some american MIC co.
I think that Xi already is aware of those facts. He’s just letting Zelensky talk, making him feel as if he is an important player in solving this crisis.
Ukraine could become an important conduit for the Belt and Road Initiative which China would no doubt be willing to bankroll. Once Z realizes that he faces a Diem-style liquidation at the hands of US neocons and CIA/Mossad he may consider “other options” to staying the course with the USA
Perhaps Xi will show Zelinksy the many ways the U.S. and NATO cannot be trusted, why he should NOT WANT to join the EU, and convince him that the disputed territory must become a neutral DMZ with neither of the countries ruling over it.
China got lots of cheap gas and oil, they made Russia more dependent, etc. but in the end they need trade with the West if they want to continue to expand their economy. Brokering peace would solve their trade problems. As for Zelensky? The timing suggests more than trade or even reconstruction help, it suggests he does not believe the upcoming offensive will be decisive and he probably blames the West for failing to deliver enough air defense systems as well as better tanks and more rounds of AMMO etc.
Furthermore, Russia just wacked a very large NATO command and control center near Kiev, some of his top brass was there as well. It was a large blow and far from confidence inspiring heading into an offensive.
Has this shaken Zelensky’s faith in the West? If so it’s a good thing.
It is another urban myth that China got cheap Russian energy making Russia dependent on China. Or Russia selling “deeply discounted” oil. Etc. None true.
Russia had in place long term contracts with Europe for oil and natural gas. Long term contracts — means low prices. When Europe decided to commit industrycide,
cheep gas and oil were now free from long term obligations. So, how come Russia was not dependent on Europe before?
Now that cheap oil and gas are free from the contract, was Russia supposed to INCREASE prices to market price to sell to its friends? Or is it going to continue selling at THE SAME DISCOUNTED PRICE MEANT FOR EUROPE? The answer is simple — Russia is not looking at priofiting from broken contracts. It is passing on the same discount. meaning Rusdia’s profits are not accfected.
Russia has been developing several new models of energy sales, distribution and processing. One model is deal with Saudi Arabia, where Saudis buy Russian oil and use their vast distrubution, financing, insurance and sales networks. Another model has been developed with India. India is becoming a major refining powerhouse, with Russian oil being recined and marketed — especially to Europe. While European refineries have lost business. Money Russia earns from India is also invested in the development of Indian industrial capacity and badly needed infrastructure improvements. China is buying Russian oil and especially gas through a vast network of Asian pipelines.
But it is less knows that Russia exports theough China much of its grain — insuring there is no glibal shortage of food. This is the reason Hkrsinian wheat is stuck in Poland, Romania , Bulgaria and Hungary. European countries though they would make a profit reselling Ukrainian wheat, but found out that market is well supplied with cheap Russian grain. True to European values — Gernany and France did not buy out the wheat glut. Leaving Ukraine beighbors to hold a bag of unsold wheat damaging own farmers.
Take gas for example. Gas production in Sakhalin region still involves Japan. Japan did nit exit the gas exploration — and told US that this is in its vital national interest. Nott jyst that. Japan is co-investor in Russia’s Sakhalin liquified gas facility, where gas for Japan is loaded. It will be quite feasible for Japan to get in the business of exporting surplus liquified gas.
Russia has just announced free fertilzer for Africa. While at home, rapidly increasing food production by branching into dairy products, meat and fish.
It may take some time but China is for opening up its own domestic market as well as expanding into the growing Asian market. They will move away from the U.S. economy in time as China like many other countries don’t want to beholden to the U.S. and it’s sanctioning the world policy. Besides, they have enough U.S. dollars as they and other countries are in the process of weaning themselves off of the U.S. dollar.
This is a very hopeful development.
That’s my sense, too. Biden, Blinken, and Zelensky have all burned their diplomatic bridges with Russia. Xi might be the only meaningful channel still available.
Ukraine is not getting the deal that was originally part of the original negotiations. Russia has no reason to give concessions considering they hold the strong hand now.
Yes, Super strong hand like in the cartoons.
He’s skimmed enough from us, let the Chinese bribe him into peace.
I heard he asked for 20,000 weather balloons.
And a couple hundred billion Yuan with no accounting.
We’d go bankrupt shooting them down!
There is a certain UNIVERSALITY to all of this.! Sorry, my bad. Where is the US again?… Shhh, strictly covert…
Better question is, where is Russian again? Oh I know, too busy invading Ukraine and taking their land.
Tend to be sceptical. Zelenski does everything for optics. This will look good to population desparate for peace. And make himself look like a big man on world stage. Zelenski cannot change his t-shirt without US approval. This initiative is to feel the Chinese position. As always, US take on events and other countries’ motivations has always been overconfident — overconfident in US persuading abilities, and other countries’ being needy for our attention. Or plain being scared of our military funding levels.
It will result in disappointment and anger. Unkess China can finess the process to prevent bursts of anger.
As it is already. China has ghosted Biden and Blinken. Blinken occasionally whines about China not rescheduling his visit. Since China does not believe much can be accomplished by wasteful talk — this will be a good test of Biden administration. Will they take advantage of China-Ukraine communication to patch up some problems? Or will it be too little too late. Or will China use US model offering that proverbial too little as well?
Of course Z does everything for optics. Plays a mean piano. Such (crass) optics!
The Russian MOD is fighting a very successful war of attrition disarming NATO (Ukraine was disarmed in March 2022), tank by tank, artillery by artillery, air defense by air defense. Russia now will fight NATO to the last European.
NATO overall has accumulated the following equipment losses;
412 Aircraft, 228 helicopters, 3861 UAV’s, 415 Anti Aircraft systems, 8858 tanks inc. APC’s, 1094 multiple rocket launchers, 4663 rocket launchers and 9777 military automotive equipment.
What the empire looses in the Ukraine, they loose for the final Russian attack on NATO. Remember Russia attacked Ukraine just as NATO was about to unleash in the Donbass. Russia has shown they will pre-emptively attack to defend the Motherland when the time is dictated by events on the ground.
Instead of using our own weapons with troops that are highly trained and coordinated, we are sending them to be sold on the black market, or destroyed with untrained foreign troops manning them.
Of course if we sent our troops to use them, they’d just be destroyed by nukes.
I cant describe how evil NATO the US and the EU are…….They are violently pulling people off the street to be conscripted by force. Then they are shipped off to the frontline to die by the Russian meatgrinder or the Nato anti retreat forces.
Point 1: Respecting the sovereignty of all countries.
Big question here for China is: under which sovereignty does the Russian occupied territory fall?
If China considers it Russian’s, this plan is dead on arrival.
Whatever Ukraine was willing to accept in early 2022 should be the goal. That would look pretty good right now. Especially for Ukraine.
That whatever probably included a land corridor to Crimea (losing all eastern seaports) and full de-militarization which is a real bad deal for Ukraine.
Plus the ‘Ukraine was willing to accept’ is all speculation.
I don’t think Putin even believed that Ukraine would ever de-militarize. I don’t know about the land corridor although I would think that will be a demand now that won’t go away. And there are plenty of sources that says Ukraine was indeed willing to accept. Whether the whole peace plan is ever made public who knows but I would be willing to bet that anything agreed upon, if that ever happens, will be a lesser deal for Ukraine than they would have gotten back then.
Take a step back. Under which sovereignty does the Donbas and other territories that were besieged by American financed neo Nazis following the coup fall?
I wish I can find hope in this article. I don’t believe Zelensky is an honest person or that he’s ready to repent. If China brings Russia to peace negotiations, the US declares Ukrainian military victory and mission accomplished. Ukraine gets to rebuild its forces and integrate more with NATO, while “working on a Minsk 3” total BS agreement. As long as the corrupt Ukraine regime/nationalist radicals lead Ukraine and the US is sending it money and weapons, I don’t think peace is possible. I tried to have a positive spin, but it keeps turning negative in all that bad blood. (Sarcasm alert)
No doubt Z is watching his back for a Diem-style liquidation by American neocons and CIA/Mossad. Maybe he will consider “other options” like what Xi no doubt had to offer.
I genuinely think he’s 100% evil. I could be wrong, but anyone who throws his country’s youth to certain death for NATO must be as evil as they come.
Yes, evil but very expendable. Victoria “f-ck the EU” Nuland will get right on it, just like she did in 2014.
Not just that, but he’s responsible for being the charismatic face of the start of a World War. He knows how this started and why, yet he goes out there and feigns innocence in order to drag OUR people into a potentially apocalyptic war.
He insists on it. He calls anyone who stands against a pointless Armageddon cowards and traitors.
It’s sickening.
Agreed. He is condemning his own people to death for US hegemony. The sad part is that his people follow his orders.
Hmmm. Probably just an opportunity to make ZelBoy APPEAR to be advancing a peaceful solution.
But hey, wouldn’t it be a bite on the ass for Amerikkka if that-there Commie pinko Xi actually achieved some sort of negotiation? ByeDone couldn’t live that one down in a million years 😁
Hmmm. Probably just an opportunity to make ZelBoy APPEAR to be advancing a peaceful solution.
But hey, wouldn’t it be a bite on the ass for Amerikkka if that-there Commie pinko Xi actually achieved some sort of negotiation? ByeDone couldn’t live that one down in a million years 😁
“Probably just an opportunity to make ZelBoy APPEAR to be advancing a peaceful solution.”
Probably.
Putin did the same thing a couple of weeks ago, as I recall.
Russia, and only Russia, will be setting the terms of the eventual settlement.
Zelensky excels at being creepy. There’s something really foul about his persona, serpentine.