China said it was "pleased to see" the improvement in communication between Washington and Moscow after US President Donald Trump expressed a desire to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for peace talks in Ukraine, "Agence France-Presse" reported, BTA reports.
Trump claims to have agreed with Putin to "immediately" start peace talks, promising to meet him in person. According to the Kremlin, the Russian president told Trump that he wanted to find a "long-term solution" to the conflict through diplomatic means. The conversation between the two lasted nearly an hour and a half, the Russian presidency said.
"Russia and the United States are two important and influential countries", said Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a regular press conference. "China is pleased to see that Russia and the United States are strengthening their communication and dialogue on international issues", he added.
The spokesman stressed that Beijing supports all efforts to peacefully resolve the crisis and will continue to maintain communication with all parties involved, playing a "constructive role" in finding a political solution.
China regularly calls for peace negotiations and respect for the territorial integrity of countries, including Ukraine. However, Beijing has not condemned the Russian invasion, which began in February 2022. On the contrary - its economic, diplomatic and military ties with Moscow have strengthened since the start of the war, AFP recalls.