China’s Xi calls Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, after weeks of intensifying pressure to do so

Chinese leader Xi Jinping called Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, over a month after Xi’s summit with Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin.

Xi made the call after weeks of intensifying pressure from Western leaders to use his influence with Putin to broker a deal toward ending 14 months of war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in late February 2022.

This was the first call between Xi and Zelenskyy since the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian government said.

Writing on Twitter, Zelenskyy said the call was “long and meaningful” but there were no specifics on whether they talked of ways of finding an end to the conflict.

The call lasted almost an hour, according to a Ukrainian government post on the Telegram messaging app.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also confirmed on Twitter that the two leaders had just spoken by phone on Wednesday. She said “China will send the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs to Ukraine and other countries to have in-depth communication with all parties on political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.”

Xi’s call comes as the Chinese leader has sought to play the role of peacemaker, having brokered a deal to mend fences between Middle Eastern rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. However, chances of a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict are slim, given how far apart Moscow and Kyiv’s positions remain.

Russia occupies large portions of eastern Ukraine and Crimea, and Kyiv insists no talks are possible until Moscow withdraws from Ukrainian territory it currently holds. Even a cease-fire, Ukraine says, will only allow Moscow time to regroup in its faltering military campaign. Ukraine rejected a 36-hour Russian cease-fire over Orthodox Christmas.

Analysts say Ukraine is gearing up for a spring counteroffensive, which could start soon, in an attempt to take back Russian-occupied land. The success or failure of those operations could dramatically reshape the conflict, and potentially create the conditions that would makes talks more feasible to both sides.

Speaking to NPR on Monday, President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said the government welcomes a role for China in peace efforts, even if Kyiv does not accept Beijing’s plan.

“We appealed to China and presented President Zelenskyy’s peace plan,” Yermak said. “Of course we can’t say that we accept China’s plan or political position, but it’s good that they are ready to be involved. We are looking for contact between President Zelenskyy and President Xi because we think it’s the best way to listen, personally, between our presidents.”

The Chinese leader, having recently secured an unprecedented third term as president, seeks to burnish China’s international credentials amid deeply stressed ties with the U.S. and increasingly difficult ones with Europe. Countries there view China’s close ties with Russia, and their “no limits” partnership, with growing suspicion and skepticism. Ties are also frayed on everything from trade and human rights to concerns over Taiwan.

China called for a cease-fire and peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, in a position paper released on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.

“Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis,” the 12-point position paper stated. “All efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be encouraged and supported.”

Ukraine has been skeptical of the proposal, given Beijing’s close ties with Moscow. Washington essentially dismissed the proposal, saying China was not a neutral arbiter in this conflict.

Hanna Palamarenko contributed reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine.