Will Xi Jinping be able to reason with the Russian president?
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday asked the Chinese leader to intervene with their Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to convince him to stop the "escalation" in Ukraine and return to the "negotiating table", the report said. Elysium.
"The President of the Republic asks that China contribute to sending messages to President Putin in order to avoid escalation and to return seriously to the negotiating table", indicated the French presidency.
“Together with President Xi Jinping, we call for respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
The consequences of this conflict go beyond European borders: it is through close coordination between France and China that we will overcome them,” the president also wrote on Twitter.
Together with President Xi Jinping, we call for respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
The consequences of this conflict go beyond European borders: it is through close coordination between France and China that we will overcome them.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 15, 2022
Xi Jinping for his part “provided his support for European mediation efforts”, in particular of the French president, and “very firmly reiterated his opposition to the use of atomic weapons” by the Russians in Ukraine, according to the Élysée.
“The lines are starting to move”
“He also reaffirmed his support for de-escalation, a ceasefire and the will to put an end to this conflict,” added the presidency.
According to Paris, "the lines are starting to move" on the Chinese side, Beijing "is trying to find a situation of balance" on the conflict in Ukraine.
“Xi Jinping makes it clear that this complex situation must be dealt with urgently,” noted an adviser to the French president.
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The two leaders also expressed their desire to "move forward" on several bilateral issues, from agrifood to aeronautics, he said.
A planned visit to China
Emmanuel Macron thus wishes to go to China at the beginning of the year 2023 if the sanitary conditions linked to Covid-19 allow it, specified the Élysée.
At the start of the interview, which took place on the sidelines of the G20 summit, Emmanuel Macron had called on his counterpart to "unite" their "forces" against the war in Ukraine, stressing that the "stability" of the world was also in the "interest" of China.
China has not condemned the Russian offensive in Ukraine launched on February 24 and remains very reluctant, like many southern countries, including Indonesia, to criticize Moscow, including at the G 20 summit.
