Kremlin reacts to Zelenskyy's conversation with Xi Jinping

Thursday, 27 April 2023, 13:02

The Kremlin has commented on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's telephone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on 26 April.

Source: Kremlin-aligned news agencies Interfax (Russia) and RBC, citing Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, during a briefing

Quote: "We are ready to welcome anything that can bring the end of the conflict in Ukraine and Russia's own achievement of its goals closer. As for communication, this is a sovereign matter for these countries and a matter of their bilateral dialogue."

Details: Asked whether Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping discussed returning Ukraine's 1991 borders during Xi's last visit to Moscow, Peskov replied: "This was not discussed."

Following his conversation with Xi Jinping, Zelenskyy stressed that there can be no peace through territorial compromises and that Ukraine must recover its territories within the 1991 borders.

In addition, Peskov was asked whether he was aware of the "common ground" that Zelenskyy said had been found after his conversation with Xi.

He replied that it was "a known fact", as this information "has been repeatedly presented by both Zelenskyy and the Chinese partners, who publicly announced all the main features of these plans".

Peskov added that no new contacts between Putin and Xi are planned for now.

Background:

  • On the afternoon of 26 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly had a telephone conversation 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.
  • China will send Li Hui, former Chinese ambassador to Russia, as a special envoy to Ukraine and other countries to communicate on the settlement of the "Ukrainian crisis" [war – ed.].

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