French President Emmanuel Macron will seek to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table with the help of China, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, April 18, citing sources familiar with the intentions of the French leader.
The President instructed his foreign policy adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, to work with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi to create a framework that could be used as a basis for future talks.
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According to anonymous sources, negotiations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine will take place this summer if everything goes according to plan.
A spokesperson for Macron’s office confirmed that Bonne planned to speak with Wang Yi but declined to comment on the details.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs generally noted that it does not know the source of the information, and it is “difficult to verify its authenticity.” During his recent visit to China, Macron failed to convince Chinese leader Xi Jinping to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The two leaders, Xi and Zelensky, have not spoken since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than a year ago. It is currently unknown whether official Kyiv and its allies support Macron’s plan. Many of them have previously rejected proposals for a ceasefire, fearing that it could allow the Russia to retain occupied territories and rebuild its damaged forces for a future assault on Kyiv.
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According to the sources, any future negotiations will depend on several conditions, including the outcome of Ukraine’s anticipated spring offensive. Many countries are also skeptical that Beijing can serve as a neutral mediator, given its “unrestricted friendship” with Moscow.
Moreover, China has not yet shown signs of readiness to pressure the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
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