“visit for peace”: Xi travels to Moscow

Against the background of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The state visit lasts from Monday to Wednesday, both sides announced on Friday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry described Xi’s trip as “visit for peace”.

It’s about “to practice true multilateralism, improve global governance and make contributions to the development and progress of the world”, it was said from Beijing. Xi and Putin would exchange views on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues, ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. “China will maintain its objective and fair stance on the Ukraine crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks”he added.

According to the Kremlin, the meeting is primarily about expanding relations. The focus of the conversations should be “deepening of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China” in particular “on the international stage” stand. In addition, would “important bilateral documents” signed. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, a first meeting and a joint dinner are planned for Monday, with official talks following on Tuesday.

The meeting comes just over a year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. China has endeavored to present itself as a neutral party in the conflict. A number of Western heads of state and government, however, consider this to be little credible. They accuse Beijing of silently supporting Moscow.

China unveiled a 12-point plan to end the war in Ukraine in February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy then said he wanted to meet Xi. The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday declined to confirm whether Xi plans to meet Zelenskyy. However, the new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang had previously spoken to his Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Kuleba on the phone. Qin urged Kiev and Moscow to “as quickly as possible” resume peace negotiations.

“We hope that President Xi will address President Zelenskyy directly, as we continue to believe that it is very important that he also hears from the Ukrainian side and not only from Mr. Putin and not from the Russian perspective”US National Security Council communications director John Kirby said yesterday.

Slovakia: MiG-29 to Ukraine

Like Poland, Slovakia will hand over its Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. The government decided that at an online cabinet meeting on Friday, said Prime Minister Eduard Heger in Bratislava.

In total, Slovakia will send 13 combat aircraft and part of the KUB air defense system to Ukraine. According to Heger, Slovakia no longer has any use for the machines. They were retired last summer. They are given to Ukraine. Heger dismissed fears that this step would draw Slovakia into the war in Ukraine.

Poland announced on Thursday that it would hand over four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming days.