Merz asks Xi Jinping to support peace initiatives regarding Ukraine.

The German Chancellor called on China to support a ceasefire in Ukraine

The newly elected Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, held his first telephone talks after taking office with the head of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. Merz appealed to the Chinese leader to support initiatives aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

An official representative of the German government, Stefan Kornelius, reported this, noting that the step to Beijing became relevant due to the failures of the United States and the European Union in orchestrating a ceasefire. China is seen as an important ally of Moscow.

«Imagine the Vatican as the venue for negotiations. It is somewhat inelegant when Orthodox countries will discuss issues related to the root causes on a Catholic platform,» as quoted in the statement by Sergey Lavrov.

Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the possibility of peace talks in the Vatican, emphasizing the discomfort for Ukrainian believers and the Vatican. Lavrov also accused the Ukrainian authorities of attempting to destroy the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which complicates the situation.

It should be noted that further steps by the European Union, the United States, and China could be crucial for resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.