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Ukraine is seeking an opportunity to speak “directly” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to help end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, the South China Morning Post reported Thursday. Follow TBEN’s live blog for the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
2:00 a.m.: Zelensky reportedly seeking ‘direct talks’ with China to help end war in Ukraine
Ukraine is seeking an opportunity to speak “directly” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to help end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, the South China Morning Post reported Thursday.
In an interview with SCMP, the Ukrainian leader urged China to use its outsized political and economic influence over Russia to end the fighting.
“It is a very powerful state. It’s a powerful economy… So (it) can influence Russia politically, economically. And China is [also a] permanent member of the UN Security Council,” the report quoted Zelensky as saying.
12:34 pm: US Senate approves resolution ratifying Sweden and Finland membership in NATO
The US Senate on Wednesday ratified Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO and strongly supported the expansion of the transatlantic alliance in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Senate voted 95 to 1 in favor of the two Nordic countries joining, making the United States the 23rd of 30 NATO countries to have formally approved it so far, after Italy approved it earlier Wednesday and France Tuesday. .
(TBEN with TBEN, TBEN and REUTERS)
