After the ambiguity that surrounded the date of this meeting during the past few days, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs finally set the date for the upcoming visit Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russia. In a statement on Friday, it announced that Xi will visit Moscow next week, from March 20 to 22.
She also stressed that China will stick to its objective and fair stance towards Ukrainian case It works to promote peace talks
In addition, she pointed out that there will be an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues with the Russian side.
In turn, the Kremlin announced that the Russian and Chinese presidents intend to discuss the development of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.
First call with Zelensky
After that, Xi is expected to hold video talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky, for the first time since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war on February 24, according to informed sources reported last Monday, but no official confirmation has been issued in this regard.
If that conversation does take place, it would be an important first step in Beijing’s efforts to play the role of “peacemaker” and cement its position as a powerful mediator in the world.
That visit and call, if it took place, comes after China offered to mediate peace between the Russian and Ukrainian sides, through a 12-item proposal that it announced weeks ago, in efforts that the West questioned because of its previous support for Moscow, and its conclusion weeks before the Russian invasion of a “borderless” partnership agreement. During Putin’s visit to Beijing to attend the opening of the Winter Olympics.
The Chinese president has met his Russian counterpart personally 39 times since assuming the presidency, the last of which was last September during a summit in Central Asia.
