White House welcomes Zelenskyy's talks with Xi Jinping
The White House has welcomed the news that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, but expressed caution about whether the call could lead to "some sort of meaningful peace movement or plan".
Source: CNN citing John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House
Quote: "We welcome the news that there was a phone call between President Xi and President Zelensky. We think that’s a good thing. We’ve been saying for quite some time that we believe it’s important for President Xi and PRC officials to avail themselves of the Ukrainian perspective on this illegal and unprovoked invasion by Russia," Kirby said.
"Whether that’s gonna lead to some sort of meaningful peace movement or plan or proposal, I just don’t think we know that right now," Kirby added.
Kirby stated that if China can help Ukraine in reaching a peace agreement, it has to be on Zelenskyy’s terms, saying that such an agreement won’t be "sustainable or credible unless the Ukrainians and President Zelensky personally is invested and supportive of it".
Kirby said the White House had no prior information that a call between Xi and Zelensky would take place, adding "nor would we necessarily expect to [be given such information – ed.]".
Background:
- On 26 April 2023, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This is the first conversation between the two leaders since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- On the same day, Zelenskyy appointed Pavlo Riabikin as Ukraine's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China. Since the death of the previous ambassador, Serhii Kamyshev, Ukraine had not appointed an ambassador to China for several years.
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