According to the Associated Press, Chinese President Xi Jinping has received an invitation to visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
“We are ready to see him here,” Zelenskiy told the news agency in an interview.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of last year, Xi and Zelenskiy have not spoken, although Beijing presented a 12-point plan for “a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis” last month.
On a state visit to Moscow last week, Xi spoke with his “close friend,” Russian President Vladimir Putin, about the crisis, though there was little sign of progress on a solution to the conflict. A request for a de-escalation and eventual ceasefire in Ukraine is part of China’s proposal.
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Just after Xi and Putin’s meeting in Moscow, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that despite indications that China may be considering increasing its military support for Russia, but no such action has been taken yet.
China has so far refrained from denouncing Russia’s action against Ukraine and annexation of Ukrainian territory, which is in violation of the plan’s assertions of respect for international law and Ukrainian sovereignty.
The idea put forth by Xi has received negative feedback from the US. According to the United States, a ceasefire at this time would secure Russian territory gains and give Putin’s troops more time to rebuild.
Ukraine has welcomed China’s diplomatic efforts, but Zelenskiy has stated that he will only entertain peace agreements when Russian soldiers have left Ukrainian soil.