: White House calls for China’s Xi to talk with Ukraine’s Zelensky

The Biden administration hopes that Chinese President Xi Jinping will reach out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly because it’s important that Xi hears Ukraine’s perspective and not just Russia’s, White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday. Kirby’s remarks come after Beijing and Moscow announced earlier Friday that Xi will visit Russia from Monday to Wednesday, in an apparent show of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Russia-Ukraine war continues. Kirby criticized China’s call for a cease-fire between Ukraine and Moscow, saying while that approach might sound good, it wouldn’t respect Ukrainian sovereignty and instead would recognize Russia’s gains in Ukraine.

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