Macron to visit China after Beijing's Ukraine peace plan

• Published date: 26 February 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said he would visit China in April and urged it to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine, a day after Beijing presented a peace plan.

China has attempted to maintain a neutral stance while retaining close ties with strategic ally Moscow, publishing a 12-point position paper on Friday that called for urgent peace talks and a "political settlement" to end the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday also expressed hopes to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, calling it "important for world security".

Macron on Saturday said he would visit China in "early April" and urged Beijing to help "put pressure" on Russia to end the war.

"The fact that China is engaging in peace efforts is a good thing," Macron said on the sidelines of an agricultural show in Paris, in reference to the position paper.

Peace was only possible if "Russian aggression was halted, troops withdrawn, and the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine and its people was respected", he added.

Earlier on Saturday, the Chinese foreign ministry said Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko would pay a state visit from Feb. 28 to March 2 at the invitation of President Xi.

A long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko allowed his country to be used as a launchpad for Moscow's invasion of its pro-Western ally on Feb. 24 last year.

Kyiv has expressed concerns that Belarus could again support Moscow in its war effort, with the countries announcing the creation of a joint regional force last October.

Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang told his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik that Beijing is willing to work with Minsk to deepen mutual political trust during a phone conversation on Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

China will also continue to support Belarus in maintaining its national stability and will oppose attempts by "external forces" to interfere in its internal affairs or impose "illegal" unilateral sanctions...