Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited Chinese language chief Xi Jinping to go to Ukraine throughout an interview on Tuesday.
“We’re able to see him right here,” Zelensky advised The Related Press. “I need to converse with him. I had contact with him earlier than full-scale struggle. However throughout all this yr, multiple yr, I didn’t have.”
Chinese language International Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to the request, telling reporters that she had no info on whether or not an invite had truly been prolonged to Xi or if he would even settle for an invite to go to Ukraine, in line with AP.
Xi visited Moscow final week to fulfill with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a visit that China labeled as a “new chapter of China-Russia friendship.” President Biden mentioned on Friday that he doesn’t take the rising relationship between the 2 international locations “flippantly.”
Days after Xi’s go to to Russia, Putin introduced a switch of nuclear weapons to Belarus simply forward of a anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive towards Russia. This transfer is probably going meant to boost concern in Western allies that might see the transfer as escalation within the battle.
Zelensky recommended that Putin’s determination to switch weapons could as a substitute be to distract from the absence of guarantees he received from Xi throughout their assembly.
U.S. officers mentioned final month that China was contemplating sending deadly support to assist Russia, and warned there could be “penalties” if China determined to take action.
“What does it imply? It implies that the go to was not good for Russia,” Zelensky advised AP.
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