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A top Russian official said on Thursday that there was no chance of peace talks this year as French President Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to persuade Russia to end Europe’s most dangerous conflict since World War II.
After holding talks with Macron and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen, Xi was reported by Reuters as saying that he hoped Russia and Ukraine could hold negotiations as soon as possible and warned all countries against using nuclear weapons.
However, he wasn’t willing to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Von der Leyen said that Xi had told her a conversation could happen when the “conditions and time are right”.
China and Russia have declared a “no limits” partnership and Xi has sought to position China as a mediator in the Ukraine conflict. China has released a 12-point peace plan but the proposal has been largely dismissed by the West as China has declined to condemn Russia for invading its sovereign neighbor.
Macron told Xi that “Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to stability”.
“I know I can count on you to bring Russia back to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table,” Macron was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Suslov, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin rated the chances of peace talks starting this year at “zero” and said that there are no talks going on aimed at ending the war in 2023.
On Thursday, seven civilians were killed by Ukrainian artillery strikes in Russian-controlled areas as the battle for Bakhmut, the devastated eastern city that has become a symbol of Kyiv’s defiance of Russia showcasing that there was no end in sight.
As per Reuters, Putin says Russia’s “special military operation” was necessary to eliminate Ukrainian Nazis and defend Russia from a hostile West. Ukraine and its allies call it an unprovoked war of conquest.
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