Xi Jinping to visit Russia for summit with Putin
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is preparing to visit Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin in the coming months.
Citing people familiar with the plan, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday that the President Xi-Putin summit was part of a Chinese effort to play a more active role in bringing the year-old war to an end and part of a push for multi-party peace talks. China will also use the summit to reiterate calls that nuclear arms should not be used, the report added.
Preparations for the trip are at an early stage and the timing has not been finalised, the Wall Street Journal said, adding that President Xi's visit might take place in April or in early May when Russia celebrates its World War Two victory over Nazi Germany.
China's top diplomat Wang Yi is currently in Moscow and expected to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday.
In a tour of Europe, Wang Yi has stepped up calls for a negotiated settlement to end the war in Ukraine, which began on February 24 previous year when Russian troops invaded the country.
President Xi and Putin last met in person in China ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics previous year, days before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The two men announced a 'no limits' partnership where no areas of cooperation were 'forbidden'. They had a video call last December.
.png "Advertisement")
