French President Emmanuel Macron told his Chinese counterpart to persuade Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine as he held a crucial meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday (April 6). In response, Xi said that he also hoped that the two warring nations could hold peace negotiations as soon as possible.&nbsp;

Xi greeted Macron at the grand Great Hall of the People with an elaborate military parade and after that, the leaders went on to hold their talks and discussed trade ties and issues of mutual interest.&nbsp;

Both Macron and Xi advocated the urgency to pursue peace talks and also reaffirmed that they are opposed to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.&nbsp;

Pointing towards China’s support for the United Nations Charter, which calls for respect of a country’s territorial integrity, and for nuclear agreements, Macron said, “I know I can count on you, under the two principles I just mentioned, to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.”

“We need to find a lasting peace. I believe that this is also an important issue for China, as much as it is for France and for Europe,” Macron told Xi. 
 
The Elysee Palace said that the talks were "frank and constructive", meanwhile Beijing said the discussions were "friendly" and "in-depth".&nbsp; 
 
Ahead of the meeting with Xi's, Macron met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the French president stressed the importance of dialogue between China and France "in these troubled times".

<h2>Ukraine takes centre stage</h2>

Ukraine emerged to be a headline point during the talks between Xi and Macron, and both leaders agreed on the need to focus on "peace talks". The French president said that Beijing can play a "major role" in finding a path to peace in the conflict and welcomed China's "willingness to commit to a resolution".&nbsp;

Macron's visit comes against the backdrop of Beijing's peace plan&nbsp;to end the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. China had floated a peace plan as a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation of the war.&nbsp;

Macron said he is "counting" on Xi to persuade the Russian president, however, it appears to be unlikely, especially after the Chinese president's recent visit to Moscow and meeting with Vladimir Putin. Putin told his Chinese counterpart that their countries shared many "common goals" and also said that the visit was "symbolic".&nbsp;

Also, Beijing is officially neutral and Xi has never condemned the Russian invasion and has never spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the war started last year in February. &nbsp; 
 
China is the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, and this trade has propped up the Kremlin's revenue amid sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

<h2>No prospect of Chinese mediation</h2>

The Kremlin said it saw no "prospect" for China to mediate the Ukraine conflict and said it had "no other way" than to press on with its offensive.&nbsp;

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "Undoubtedly, China has a very effective and commanding potential for mediation. But the situation with Ukraine is complex, so far there are no prospects for a political settlement. At the moment, there are no other ways for us aside from the continuation of the special military operation."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

French President Emmanuel Macron told his Chinese counterpart to persuade Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine as he held a crucial meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday (April 6).

French President Emmanuel Macron told his Chinese counterpart to persuade Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine as he held a crucial meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday (April 6). In response, Xi said that he also hoped that the two warring nations could hold peace negotiations as soon as possible. Xi greeted Macron at the grand Great Hall of the People with an elaborate military parade and after that, the leaders went on to hold their talks and discussed trade ties and issues of mutual interest. Both Macron and Xi advocated the urgency to pursue peace talks and also reaffirmed that they are opposed to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Pointing towards China’s support for the United Nations Charter, which calls for respect of a country’s territorial integrity, and for nuclear agreements, Macron said, “I know I can count on you, under the two principles I just mentioned, to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.” “We need to find a lasting peace. I believe that this is also an important issue for China, as much as it is for France and for Europe,” Macron told Xi. The Elysee Palace said that the talks were "frank and constructive", meanwhile Beijing said the discussions were "friendly" and "in-depth". Ahead of the meeting with Xi's, Macron met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the French president stressed the importance of dialogue between China and France "in these troubled times". Ukraine takes centre stage Ukraine emerged to be a headline point during the talks between Xi and Macron, and both leaders agreed on the need to focus on "peace talks". The French president said that Beijing can play a "major role" in finding a path to peace in the conflict and welcomed China's "willingness to commit to a resolution". Macron's visit comes against the backdrop of Beijing's peace plan to end the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. China had floated a peace plan as a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation of the war. Macron said he is "counting" on Xi to persuade the Russian president, however, it appears to be unlikely, especially after the Chinese president's recent visit to Moscow and meeting with Vladimir Putin. Putin told his Chinese counterpart that their countries shared many "common goals" and also said that the visit was "symbolic". Also, Beijing is officially neutral and Xi has never condemned the Russian invasion and has never spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the war started last year in February. China is the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, and this trade has propped up the Kremlin's revenue amid sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. No prospect of Chinese mediation The Kremlin said it saw no "prospect" for China to mediate the Ukraine conflict and said it had "no other way" than to press on with its offensive. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "Undoubtedly, China has a very effective and commanding potential for mediation. But the situation with Ukraine is complex, so far there are no prospects for a political settlement. At the moment, there are no other ways for us aside from the continuation of the special military operation." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Macron in China: French president wants Xi Jinping to ‘bring Russia to its senses’

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia has been confirmed for next week. He will be in Russia from March 20-22 for a state visit, Kremlin said Friday. President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited Xi to visit the country. The visit comes on the heels of an offer from China to broker peace in Ukraine. It will be Xi's first visit to the country since Russia's military intervention in Ukraine began in February last year.

Xi is also reportedly set to talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his Moscow visit. China's peace plan offer has been viewed with scepticism by the West given Beijing's diplomatic support for Russia.

"During the talks, they will discuss topical issues of further development of comprehensive partnership relations and strategic cooperation between Russia and China," the Kremlin said.

"A number of important bilateral documents will be signed," it added.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-will-speak-with-ukrainian-president-zelensky-after-moscow-visit-report-571764">Xi will speak with Ukrainian President Zelensky after Moscow visit: Report</a>

Beijing's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying,&nbsp;in a Twitter message,&nbsp;said it will be a trip "for friendship and peace".

"On the basis of no-alliance, no-confrontation and no-targeting of any third party, China and Russia have been promoting greater democracy in international relations," she said.

She added that during the visit, China will uphold "an objective and fair position" on the Ukraine war and "play a constructive role in promoting talks for peace".

Earlier, the trip was touted to happen sometime around April end or May. Putin had talked about Xi's visit last month, but no definitive date was given. Xi last met Putin in September 2022, during a summit in central Asia.

China and Russia entered a "no limits" partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics.&nbsp;

The two sides have since continued to reaffirm the strength of their ties. Trade between the two countries has flourished in the past year, with China being Russia's biggest buyer of oil.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia has been confirmed for next week. He will be in Russia from March 20-22 for a state visit, Kremlin said Friday. President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited Xi to visit the country.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia has been confirmed for next week. He will be in Russia from March 20-22 for a state visit, Kremlin said Friday. President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited Xi to visit the country. The visit comes on the heels of an offer from China to broker peace in Ukraine. It will be Xi's first visit to the country since Russia's military intervention in Ukraine began in February last year. Xi is also reportedly set to talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his Moscow visit. China's peace plan offer has been viewed with scepticism by the West given Beijing's diplomatic support for Russia. "During the talks, they will discuss topical issues of further development of comprehensive partnership relations and strategic cooperation between Russia and China," the Kremlin said. "A number of important bilateral documents will be signed," it added. Also Read | Xi will speak with Ukrainian President Zelensky after Moscow visit: Report Beijing's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, in a Twitter message, said it will be a trip "for friendship and peace". "On the basis of no-alliance, no-confrontation and no-targeting of any third party, China and Russia have been promoting greater democracy in international relations," she said. She added that during the visit, China will uphold "an objective and fair position" on the Ukraine war and "play a constructive role in promoting talks for peace". Earlier, the trip was touted to happen sometime around April end or May. Putin had talked about Xi's visit last month, but no definitive date was given. Xi last met Putin in September 2022, during a summit in central Asia. China and Russia entered a "no limits" partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics. The two sides have since continued to reaffirm the strength of their ties. Trade between the two countries has flourished in the past year, with China being Russia's biggest buyer of oil. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Xi Jinping set to visit Russia from March 20-22, on trip ‘for friendship and peace’

Russia weighed in on the 12-point peace plan presented by China, terming it a political solution in Ukraine but also mentioned that the given conditions for a peaceful resolution of the war were not in place "at the moment".&nbsp;

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia paid a "lot of attention to our Chinese friends' plan", he further added that "for now, we don't see any of the conditions that are needed to bring this whole story towards peace."&nbsp;

China recently said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the so-called peace plan in the form of a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-will-be-killed-by-his-aides-zelensky-claims-in-ukraine-war-anniversary-documentary-566416">Putin will be killed by his aides, Zelensky claims in Ukraine war anniversary documentary</a>&nbsp;

The move was vastly welcomed by the Western nations despite growing speculations that Beijing is mulling over sending "lethal aid" to Moscow for the Ukraine war.&nbsp;

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had also said Moscow was open to achieving the goals of the "special military operation" through political and diplomatic means.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden had told media outlet ABC News in an interview that the idea that Beijing would be negotiating the outcome of the Ukraine war was not "rational".&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;US, NATO scramble to discuss China from supplying lethal aid&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/former-russian-president-dmitry-medvedev-reiterates-nuclear-threat-566374/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-fires-senior-military-commander-without-citing-any-reason-566248">Zelensky fires senior military commander without citing any reason</a>&nbsp;

In the past few days, a glimmer of hope is seen with several mentions of diplomatic talks and proposals of peace plans. French President Emmanuel Macron also announced last week that he will visit China in early April, which will be his official visit—an&nbsp;attempt to seek Chinese help with ending the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;

However, Russia has hinted that any settlement of the conflict needed to recognise Russia's control over four Ukrainian regions as Moscow claims to have annexed the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson but never fully controlled them.&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country needed to work with China, arguing "it seems to me that there is respect for our territorial integrity, security issues" from the Chinese perspective.&nbsp;

Zelensky also said he was convinced that only a country whose territory is under attack can initiate "any peace initiatives."&nbsp;

<h2>Kremlin on situation in Moldovan region&nbsp;</h2>

Kremlin also said that it is concerned by the situation in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, where it said Ukraine and other European countries were stirring up the situation.&nbsp;

Moscow last week told the West that it would view any actions that threatened Russian peacekeepers in Transdniestria as an attack on Russia itself.&nbsp;

The warning came amid increased concerns in Moldova, a small ex-Soviet republic located between Romania and Ukraine, of a possible Russian threat.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Russia weighed in on the 12-point peace plan presented by China, terming it a political solution in Ukraine but also mentioned that the given conditions for a peaceful resolution of the war were not in place "at the moment".

Russia weighed in on the 12-point peace plan presented by China, terming it a political solution in Ukraine but also mentioned that the given conditions for a peaceful resolution of the war were not in place "at the moment". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia paid a "lot of attention to our Chinese friends' plan", he further added that "for now, we don't see any of the conditions that are needed to bring this whole story towards peace." China recently said that it hopes to play a constructive role in resolving the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine and came up with the so-called peace plan in the form of a 12-point foreign ministry paper for a gradual de-escalation between the warring nations. ALSO READ | Putin will be killed by his aides, Zelensky claims in Ukraine war anniversary documentary The move was vastly welcomed by the Western nations despite growing speculations that Beijing is mulling over sending "lethal aid" to Moscow for the Ukraine war. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had also said Moscow was open to achieving the goals of the "special military operation" through political and diplomatic means. Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden had told media outlet ABC News in an interview that the idea that Beijing would be negotiating the outcome of the Ukraine war was not "rational". WATCH | US, NATO scramble to discuss China from supplying lethal aid × ALSO READ | Zelensky fires senior military commander without citing any reason In the past few days, a glimmer of hope is seen with several mentions of diplomatic talks and proposals of peace plans. French President Emmanuel Macron also announced last week that he will visit China in early April, which will be his official visit—an attempt to seek Chinese help with ending the Russia-Ukraine war. However, Russia has hinted that any settlement of the conflict needed to recognise Russia's control over four Ukrainian regions as Moscow claims to have annexed the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson but never fully controlled them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country needed to work with China, arguing "it seems to me that there is respect for our territorial integrity, security issues" from the Chinese perspective. Zelensky also said he was convinced that only a country whose territory is under attack can initiate "any peace initiatives." Kremlin on situation in Moldovan region Kremlin also said that it is concerned by the situation in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, where it said Ukraine and other European countries were stirring up the situation. Moscow last week told the West that it would view any actions that threatened Russian peacekeepers in Transdniestria as an attack on Russia itself. The warning came amid increased concerns in Moldova, a small ex-Soviet republic located between Romania and Ukraine, of a possible Russian threat. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia weighs in on China's peace plan, says no conditions for peace 'at the moment' in Ukraine