PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron will make a new attempt to dissuade China’s President Xi Jinping from supporting Putin’s war against Kyiv, local media reported on Saturday. President Xi’s trip is set to be rich on symbolism but risks being short on diplomatic success for Macron. President Xi is due to make an official visit to France on Monday and Tuesday, followed by trips to Hungary and Serbia, two European nations retaining warm ties with Moscow.
While President Xi and Macron will also discuss global crises, climate change, trade, and cultural exchanges, the key aim will be to “point out that for Europe, the first matter with China is its stance on Ukraine,” local media reported.
On a trip to China in 2023, the French President had already called on President Xi to “bring Russia to its senses” over Kyiv and asked him not to deliver arms to Moscow.
