German president urges Xi Jinping to convince Putin to end war in Ukraine
Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Photo:John Macdougall/Pool via REUTERS)
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called Chinese President Xi Jinping, asking him to influence Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to stop his war against Ukraine, CNN reported on Dec. 20.
Steinmeier spoke of the “common interest of China and Europe in an end to the war,” should Russian troops withdraw from Ukraine. He also thanked Xi Jinping “for the clear rejection of Russian nuclear threats.”
During the hour-long conversation, the German president confirmed Berlin’s determination to continue supporting Ukraine. He said that Europe won’t back down in the face of Russian threats.
Steinmeier added that Russian aggression has only strengthened Ukraine's defenses and Europe's cohesion, and that "Putin has fundamentally miscalculated" by launching the invasion.
On Dec. 17, CIA Director William J. Burns said that Xi Jinping was concerned about the failure of the Russian invasion of Ukraine because it was affecting Chinese plans for a potential seizure of Taiwan.
Earlier U.S. media reports said that in recent months Xi Jinping tried to distance himself from Russia amid its military failures in Ukraine, but privately is "doubling down on his long-term bet on Russia."
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