Russia says followed EU-China talks, doubts Beijing will change stance on Ukraine war

The Kremlin said on Friday it had followed “important talks” between Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, but said it doubted China would change its position on the Ukraine conflict under external pressure.

China has proposed its own “peace plan” for Ukraine in Beijing’s first major diplomatic intervention into the conflict, but Ukraine and some Western leaders remain skeptical of Xi’s close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the Kremlin had “monitored” the talks between the EU and China, but underlined that Russia had its own “rich relations” with Beijing.

“China is a very serious, very big power with its own sovereign position … This is not the kind of country that changes its positions rapidly under external influence,” Peskov said, when asked if Russia was concerned Europe could persuade Xi regarding Ukraine.

After the talks, Xi expressed willingness to speak to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly, according to von der Leyen, while Macron said he had urged Beijing to “bring Russia back to its senses.”

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