Zelenskiy invites Xi to visit Ukraine – AP

KYIV (Reuters): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

“We are ready to see him here,” Zelenskiy told the news agency in an interview.

Xi has not talked to Zelenskiy since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year but China published a 12-point plan for “a political resolution of the Ukraine crisis” last month.

Xi discussed the conflict with his “dear friend”, Russian President Vladimir Putin, while on a state visit to Moscow last week, although the talks did not show progress on how to end the war.

China’s proposal includes a call for a de-escalation and eventual ceasefire in Ukraine.

But the United States has been dismissive of the proposal, given that China has declined to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

The United States says a ceasefire now would lock in Russian territorial gains and give Putin’s army more time to regroup.

Ukraine has welcomed China’s diplomatic involvement but Zelenskiy has said he will only consider peace settlements after Russian troops leave Ukrainian territory.