French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting in Paris on May 6 to discuss Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, trade issues, and the Middle East.
China wants to work with France and the rest of the international community to end the war in Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly told French media outlet Le Figaro on May 5.
Xi Jinping will travel to the European Union for the first time in five years. The Chinese president will begin his five-day trip to France, Serbia, and Hungary on May 5, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
The Russian president previously visited China last October to attend the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on April 16 that he has asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to "put pressure" on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, as "China's word carries weight in Russia."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on April 16, and said before the meeting that he planned to discuss "how we can contribute more to a just peace in Ukraine."
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed on April 8 that Washington expressed concern to allies about China's support for Russia amid Moscow’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
The U.S. is cautioning its allies about China's increased backing of Russia, which includes supplying geospatial intelligence to aid Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
A senior administration official told reporters at a briefing that Biden would reiterate "that China should use its leverage with Russia and Iran to enhance stability, both around the war in Ukraine and amid turmoil in the Middle East."
Russian President Vladimir Putin easily cruised to victory in an election ruled neither free nor fair, solidifying his grip on power for another six years. Russia's Central Election Commission awarded Putin with 87.2% of the vote in an election that was widely seen as tightly controlled and without the
This might be Putin's first trip abroad after he secured his fifth term in office in the recent presidential election, broadly regarded as rigged and unfair.
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