Xi, Putin Call for ‘Responsible Dialogue’ to End Ukraine Crisis

President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said the Ukraine crisis could best be settled through “responsible dialogue” in a joint statement signed Tuesday, as they called on all parties to halt actions that could lead to escalation and a prolonged war.

The statement published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Russia welcomes China’s willingness to play an active role in resolving the crisis through political means. Russia said in a separate statement released by the Kremlin that some provisions in a Chinese position paper released last month could be “taken as the basis” for a peaceful settlement “when the West and Kiev are ready for it.”