Officials of the United States have called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to use his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand an end to what they called Russia’s “war crimes” in Ukraine.
Mr. Xi arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks that the White House National Security Council said should aim for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
John Kirby, council spokesman, warned that any ceasefire that left Russian forces inside Ukraine’s sovereign territory would effectively legitimize the country’s illegal actions. The plea came after more than four hours of informal talks between the two leaders.
However, there are concerns that China’s support for Russia, based on trade and technology, could become military. Reports suggest that Japan has already provided Kyiv with humanitarian, financial, and non-lethal military aid.
The meeting between the two presidents follows last month’s release of a 12-point plan by China to end the war in Ukraine, which includes ceasing hostilities and resuming peace talks. However, the plan did not specify that Russia must withdraw from Ukraine, which Ukraine sees as a precondition for any negotiations.
During the informal talks, Mr. Putin said he would discuss the Chinese plan to “settle the acute crisis in Ukraine.” However, Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has made a surprise visit to Ukraine to voice solidarity and support for the country following Russia’s invasion.
China and Russia have grown closer in recent years, with Putin writing in China’s People’s Daily newspaper before Xi’s arrival that the two nations would not be weakened by the “aggressive” policies of the US. Russia is a vital source of oil for China’s economy, and the two countries are seen as partners in standing up to the US.
The visit comes after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin over war crime allegations. The court’s move means that Putin could technically be arrested in 123 countries, but neither China nor Russia is on that list.
Despite efforts by Western leaders to isolate Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, they have been unable to establish a global consensus. China, India, and several African nations have been reluctant to condemn Putin.
