China’s President Supports Peace Talks Between Russia, Ukraine

Chinese President, Xi Jinping called for “maximum restraint” after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Chinese President described the situation in Ukraine as deeply worrying and said the priority should be preventing it from escalating or “spinning out of control”.

Xi, while speaking at a virtual meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, said that the three countries should jointly support peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Aljazeera also reported Xi saying France and Germany should make efforts to reduce the negative effects of the crisis, and expressed concern about the impact of sanctions on the stability of global finance, energy supplies, transportation and supply chains.

On Tuesday, the CIA’s director also said he believes Xi has been unsettled by Russia’s difficulties in invading Ukraine, and by how the war has brought the United States and Europe closer.

China, which has refused to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine or call it an invasion, has repeatedly expressed opposition to what it describes as illegal sanctions on Russia.

Nearly two weeks into the invasion, Russian forces have taken over Ukraine, in what Russia describes as a “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and unseat leaders it calls neo-Nazis.