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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday for a three-day visit that Beijing has touted as a "peace trip" in its attempt to play mediator in the war of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Ukraine.

The presidents will address "the situation in Ukraine and China's peace initiative for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," according to the Kremlin. "In one way or another the issues addressed by this plan will be addressed without fail in the course of the exchange of views (between the two leaders) on Ukraine. Ukraine will certainly be on the agenda," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news conference.

Peskov added that Putin will comprehensively explain to Xi Moscow's stance on the conflict so that the Chinese president can "receive first-hand the Russian side's view of the current moment."

At a daily briefing in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called Xi's trip a "journey of friendship, cooperation and peace." On the war, Wang explained that "China will maintain its objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks."

Beijing's leap into Ukrainian issues follows its recent success as a mediator in talks between Iran and its main rival in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, which agreed to restore diplomatic ties after years of tensions.

In late February, Beijing proposed a ceasefire as part of its document called China's Position on a Political Solution to the Ukraine Crisis. Washington, however, rejected the idea outright as an effective ratification of the ground gained by Russia on the battlefield.

Xi travels to Russia shortly after the International Criminal Court on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes. Moscow, which does not recognize the ICC's authority, has called its decision "legally invalid and void." For its part, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called on the ICC to "respect the jurisdictional immunity" of a head of state and "avoid politicization and double standards."

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  • Ukraine
  • China
  • Russia
  • Xi Jinping
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Iran
  • Vladimir Putin
  • War Ukraine Russia