French President Emmanuel Macron urged China's Xi Jinping on Thursday to reason with Russia and help bring an end to the war in Ukraine as the two held the first of a series of high-level meetings in Beijing.
"The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to (international) stability," Macron told Xi, standing alongside the Chinese president outside the Great Hall of the People ahead of their meeting. "I know I can count on you to bring back Russia to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table."
Macron also asked Xi to press Russia to comply with international rules on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will station tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine's neighbour Belarus, a move seen as a dangerous escalation in the bloody year-long conflict.
Macron's visit alongside EU chief Ursula von der Leyen comes after years of souring relations with Beijing over issues ranging from a stalled investment pact to China's reluctance to condemn Russia over its Ukraine invasion.
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