According to the Financial Times, at the summit in Beijing, Xi Jinping expressed restrained criticism of Putin. Previously, in meetings with Biden, the Chinese leader did not comment on the Russian president and his invasion of Ukraine, FT reports.
During a meeting in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump that Russian leader Vladimir Putin "may regret" the decision to start a war against Ukraine. This was reported on Tuesday, May 19, by the British newspaper Financial Times (FT), citing sources familiar with the American assessment of the Xi-Trump talks. The Chinese Foreign Ministry called the FT report pure fabrication.
Previously, Xi Had Not Criticized Putin or the War
According to these sources, the Chinese leader expressed his views during extensive discussions that touched on the topic of the war in Ukraine. As noted by the publication's sources, Xi's remarks about Russian military aggression were sharper than in the past. He had previously not commented on either Putin's personality or the war itself, despite "frank and direct" conversations about Russia and Ukraine, an FT source familiar with the content of Xi Jinping's meetings with Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden stated.
The publication does not provide further details on the discussion of the war in Ukraine. Additionally, during the talks in Beijing, Donald Trump proposed to unite efforts against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and involve Putin in these actions. He stated that the interests of the U.S., China, and Russia align on this issue, the Financial Times further reports.
Putin to Visit Beijing After Trump
At the same time, FT notes that the information about the Chinese leader's remarks came against the backdrop of preparations for Putin's visit to China. This visit, at Xi's invitation, will take place on May 19-20 - just four days after the Chinese leader hosted the American president. According to the Kremlin, Putin and Xi intend to exchange "views on important international and regional issues," and a joint statement is planned to be signed at the end of the negotiations.
Trump's visit to China took place from May 13-15, marking his second meeting with Xi since returning to the White House. The summit in Beijing concluded with loud positive statements, including agreements on China purchasing American oil and Boeing aircraft. Leading American businessmen accompanied Trump on this trip. After the visit, it became known that Xi invited Vladimir Putin to Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Ministry: FT Report "Is Pure Fabrication"
Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the Financial Times report a fake. "The information provided contradicts the facts and is pure fabrication," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiaqun at a briefing in Beijing.
