Chinese President Xi Jinping has called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and said the conflict in Ukraine should be resolved through negotiations. He said the situation in eastern Ukraine has now changed rapidly and that China would like to see negotiations.

The country understands the Russian military intervention that it does not want to call an invasion because the purpose of the Russian armed forces is said to be limited and not aimed at conquest and occupation.

The Kremlin has responded positively to a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky to start talks, for example, about a neutral status for Ukraine. Putin is ready to talk “at a high level” with Ukraine. But Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov does not see much in a neutral status for the neighbouring country. On the contrary, he wants a ‘change of government’ in Kyiv.

Zelensky on Friday offered to enter into a dialogue with Putin as soon as possible. He said that sooner or later, Russia has to come to the negotiating table to end the battle in Ukraine. His adviser Mikhail Podoljak also said the Ukrainian government wants peace and is ready to negotiate with Russia.