Chinese President Xi expresses readiness to help settle Ukrainian crisis

In a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Xi said, "All parties concerned must take a responsible stance, thus promoting the correct settlement of the Ukraine crisis"

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday expressed his readiness to play a "constructive role" to help settle the Ukrainian crisis, according to the Chinese state-TV.

In a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Xi said, "All parties concerned must take a responsible stance, thus promoting the correct settlement of the crisis in Ukraine."

"China is prepared to keep playing its constructive role," the Chinese state-TV quoted Xi as saying.

Xi asserted that Beijing was taking an independent position on the Ukrainian issue, "taking into account the facts and historical realities".

"We actively contribute to preserving peace on the global scale. Likewise, we contribute to maintaining a stable economic order in the world," he stressed.

However, it is not yet clear whether Xi has offered to mediate to end the Russia-Ukraine war, shedding Beijing's earlier reluctance to do so.

China, a close ally of Russia, steadfastly declined to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine ever since Putin launched a special military operation which led to the United States and its allies imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia stepping up weapons supplies to Kiev.