After the formal meetings on May 16 between their nations’ delegations, Russian President Vladimir Putin met in the evening with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his official residence at Zhongnanhai for an informal discussion, including discussion of Ukraine.
Xi emphasized China’s maintenance of its strategic focus amidst global turbulence, overcoming various challenges under Party leadership. Putin praised China’s unstoppable development and expressed Russia’s willingness to strengthen cooperation with China and the Global South for a more equal and multipolar world.
Xi proposed addressing both the symptoms and root causes of the Ukraine issue, as proposed in his Global Security Initiative, advocating for a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture. He called for an international peace conference with equal participation from all parties, recognized by both Russia and Ukraine.
