Xi Jinping's Official Headed To Ukraine For Peace Talks As Russia Says 2 Commanders 'Died Heroically'

Xi Jinping's top envoy will visit Ukraine, Russia and other European cities on Monday to discuss a “political settlement” to Vladimir Putin's war.

What Happened: The foreign ministry announced China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs and former ambassador to Russia, Li Hui, will also visit Poland, France, and Germany, along with Russia and Ukraine, on a multi-day trip. 

“The visit … is a testament to China’s efforts towards promoting peace talks, and fully demonstrates China’s firm commitment to peace,” Chinese spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.

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Hui is the highest-ranking official from China to visit Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February last year. Ukraine is scheduled to be his first stop on his trip, Reuters reported citing two sources familiar with the matter.

The Chinese official visit coincides with the start of a long-awaited counteroffensive by Ukraine to retake the territories occupied by Russia.

Why It Matters: The trip came days after the Chinese president held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the first talks between the two leaders since the onset of the war.

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Several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, have urged the Chinese side to speak to the Ukrainian leader and play a more active role in restraining Putin's efforts during a string of visits to Beijing from March onwards.

Kyiv renewed efforts to break through Russian defenses in Bakhmut. Moscow on Sunday said that two of its military commanders were killed in eastern Ukraine. Makarov had been leading troops from the front line, and Brovko “died heroically, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds,” it said. 

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