By KYIV. Nov 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – During a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, French President Emmanuel Macron asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping to convince Vladimir Putin to stop the "escalation" in Ukraine and return to the "negotiating table," French channel BFM TV said with reference to the Élysée Palace.
The Élysée Palace said in a communiqué that Macron expressed concern about the continuation of the war, the consequences of which go beyond European borders and must be overcome with close coordination between France and China.
"Both heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and agreed on the urgency of de-escalation. They reaffirmed their firm position on preventing the use of nuclear weapons. President Xi expressed support for the initiatives of the President of the Republic to achieve peace," the presidential office said in a statement.
It said the two leaders also discussed the implications of the conflict for the rest of the world. Macron stressed that "the contribution of the G20 members will be decisive in order to calm the agricultural markets." In this regard, he noted the efforts of France and the European Union, including to promote the export of Ukrainian grain by land and river routes.
