👑 Mon 20 Mar 2023: The Guardian > In an article in Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a daily published by the Russian government, Xi called for “pragmatism” on Ukraine. He said China’s peace proposal, largely dismissed by the west, represented “as much as possible the unity of the world community’s views”.

Pjotr Sauer and Amy Hawkins

Mon 20 Mar 2023 15.34 EDT

www.theguardian.com

The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Monday morning that the leaders would discuss the peace plan “one way or another”.

“The topics that figured in this plan will inevitably be touched upon during the exchange of views on Ukraine” between Putin and Xi, Peskov said. “Exhaustive clarifications will be given by President Putin, so that President Xi can get a first-hand view of the current moment from the Russian side,” he added.

Kyiv reiterated its official position that any talks would be contingent on the complete restoration of Ukraine’s territory. “The formula for the successful implementation of China’s ‘Peace Plan’. The first and main point is the capitulation or withdrawal of the Russian occupation troops,” Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security and defence council, tweeted on Monday.

Xi is reported to be planning a call with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, after his trip to Moscow.

-