Emmanuel Macron and Xi Jinping have urged Moscow and Kyiv to engage in peace talks “as soon as possible.” The French president called on his Chinese counterpart to “bring Russia to its senses,” with the latter accepting that their countries have the “ability and responsibility” to safeguard peace.
Russia’s immediate response was to insist there are no “prospects for a political settlement” to the conflict in Ukraine—“so far,” at least. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said:
At the moment, there are no other ways for us aside from the continuation of the special military operation.
In their latest telephone conversation in early April, Volodymyr Zelensky and Mr. Macron “dwelled on further steps to implement [the] Peace Formula.” Separately, however, the Ukrainian president said the Élysée was “wasting” its time trying to end the war through diplomacy. Other world leaders have talked tentatively about the warring parties meeting at the negotiation table. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month said the war will “of course” end “as all conflicts do at the negotiating table,” but added that this was “a decision for Ukraine to make.”
Mr. Macron appears hopeful that Mr. Xi, who has refused to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine,while calling for a “rational” way out, carries sufficient influence over the Kremlin to shape forthcoming developments. The pair, who held talks in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People during Mr. Macron’s state visit to China, also stressed their opposition to the use of nuclear weapons in the war. They are expected to hold further talks this evening with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is in China on Mr. Macron’s invitation.
