Xi, Zelensky speak over phone for first time since Feb 2022

BEIJING/MOSCOW. April 26 (Interfax) - Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone call with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

"President Xi Jinping just spoke to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the phone," Hua said on Twitter.

Media have pointed out that this has been the first conversation between the two leaders since February 2022.

Zelensky also commented on the call.

"I had a long and meaningful phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. I believe that this call, as well as the appointment of Ukraine's ambassador to China, will give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations," Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying on his social account on Wednesday.

Chinese television said Xi informed Zelensky that Beijing would send its envoy to Ukraine. Xinhua reported that the Chinese leader told his Ukrainian counterpart that "dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out for the Ukraine crisis."

Additionally, Xi and Zelensky exchanged opinions on bilateral relations.

Following his conversation with Xi, Zelensky signed a decree appointing Pavel Ryabikin Ukraine's ambassador to China, Ukrainian media reported with reference to the official presidential website.

From November 2021 to March 2023, Ryabikin served as minister for strategic industries.

Meanwhile, Hua also wrote on twitter that China would dispatch a special representative to Ukraine and some other countries to deal with a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

"China will send the special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs to Ukraine and other countries to have in-depth communication with all parties on political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," Hua said.

China's special government representative on Eurasian affairs is former Ambassador to Russia Li Hui.