French President Emmanuel Macron announced today, Saturday, that he will visit China in early April, and this announcement comes while an initiative - presented by Beijing to settle the conflict in Ukraine - is sparking mixed international responses.
In remarks he made on the sidelines of his visit to an agricultural fair in Paris, the French president called on China to help put pressure on Russia to end its war on Ukraine.
Macron said, commenting on the Chinese initiative - which calls for peace talks and a political solution in Ukraine - that this peace is only possible by stopping Russian aggression, withdrawing forces, and respecting regional sovereignty and the Ukrainian people.
Yesterday, Beijing published a 12-point document containing its position on the Russia-Ukraine war and its vision for resolving the conflict between them, in conjunction with the first anniversary of the outbreak of this war.
Among the most prominent points contained in this document is the immediate cease-fire, the resumption of negotiations between Kiev and Moscow, respect for the sovereignty of all countries, and the protection of civilians and prisoners of war.
However, Western leaders - including US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Schultz - questioned the Chinese proposals.
As for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he said that what China put forward - regarding peace in his country - was not a plan, but rather ideas that must be known what will follow it and where it will lead.
Zelensky announced his intention to meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, warning that Beijing's support for Moscow could lead to the outbreak of a third world war.