The Hard Part for Xi Starts Now After Finally Calling Zelenskiy
- China hasn’t revealed next steps in Ukraine peace push
- Russia, Ukraine ‘miles apart’ on any potential resolution
Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Xi Jinping.
Photographer: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping finally spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after more than six weeks of speculation. Now comes the hard part in his push to end the 14-month war.
The announcement at a special briefing late Wednesday in Beijing quickly diverted attention from an uproar caused by a Chinese diplomat who questioned the sovereignty of ex-Soviet states. While Beijing distanced itself from the remark, it undermined Xi’s quest to portray China as a neutral broker — particularly given his tight relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.