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Chinese President Xi Jinping talked to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over a phone call on Friday afternoon (Feb. 25), Caixin reported.

Talked about Ukraine

Both leaders exchanged their views on the current situation in Ukraine, which Russia invaded on Thursday, Feb. 24, in what Putin called a "special military operation".

According to Caixin, Putin shared with Xi the "historical" aspect behind the "Ukraine issue", Russia's stance towards the matter, as well as the latest updates from Russia's "military operation" .

He further expressed his oft-repeated views that the U.S. and NATO have long ignored Russia's "legitimate security concerns", repeatedly went back on their promises by allowing the expansion of NATO eastwards, therefore challenging Russia's "red line".

U.S. President Joe Biden previously denied in June 2021 that Ukraine had been accepted as a NATO member. 

Russia willing to talk with Ukraine if the latter surrenders

Putin also said that Russia is willing to hold high-level talks with Ukraine.

Previously, it was reported that Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was willing to talk with Kyiv only if its armed forces surrendered, according to the BBC.

As for Xi, he reiterated China's position on the matter, pointing out the need to abandon a Cold War mentality, as well as the need to respect countries' "legitimate security concerns".

He also urged Russia to resolve the issue through negotiations, and said China "respects each country's sovereignty and territorial integrity" in accordance with principles under the United Nations Charter.

Earlier on the same day, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had also expressed China's stance on the matter in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, NPR reported.

China is the only major power to have refrained from condemning Putin's move towards Ukraine, although it has called for restraint and respect for sovereignty.

It earlier lifted all restrictions on wheat imports from Russia on Feb. 24, ABC News reported.

It has also told its citizens in Ukraine to stick the Chinese flag on their cars when travelling, even though it has yet to call for all of them to leave the country.

However, according to CNN, charter flights are being arranged to evacuate Chinese nationals from Ukraine due to the "high security risk".

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Top image via Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images