Russia-Ukraine conflict: Xi Jinping calls for Putin negotiations but blames US and NATO for tensions

China’s President Xi Jinping told Vladmir Putin that he supports Russia’s efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine ‘through dialogue’, Chinese state television reported.

The leaders spoke by phone this morning, with the Russian President saying he was willing to hold high level talks with Ukraine. 

Putin’s words don’t appear to match up to his actions however as Russian troops are reported to have reached the streets of Kyiv and are fighting for control with Ukraine. 

At least 137 Ukrainian civilians and military have been killed so far. 

China has so far refused to call Russia’s action in Ukraine an ‘invasion’ or criticise Moscow despite intensifying assaults from Russia’s military. 

Russian armour is now advancing on Kyiv from the north and east, with US intelligence saying the plan is to besiege the city, capture an airport, and fly in paratroopers who would then attack the capital. The aim would be to capture the government and force them to sign a peace treaty handing control of the country back to Russia or a Russian puppet

Putin told Xi that the United States and NATO had long ignored Russia’s legitimate security concerns, repeatedly reneged on their commitments, and continued to expand military deployment eastward, challenging Russia’s strategic bottom line, according to a statement on the Chinese foreign ministry website.

Russia is willing to conduct high-level negotiations with Ukraine, Putin was cited as saying.

China has repeatedly called for the crisis to be resolved through dialogue.

China supports Russia and Ukraine in resolving the issue through negotiation, Xi told Putin, according to the ministry.

Xi also called for all sides to abandon a Cold War mentality, respect the legitimate security concerns of all countries, and form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through negotiation, according to the statement.

A man dressed in camouflage takes a picture of a crater where a Russian rocket landed, destroying part of an apartment block in Kyiv which is now under heavy attack

Ukrainian defenders have blown up several bridges leading into the capital in an attempt to slow the Russian advance 

Xi said China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, according to the statement.

It comes as the Russian military claimed it has taken control of an airport just outside Kyiv, as Kremlin forces bear down on the Ukrainian capital. 

Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko, the brother of boxer Wladimir Klitschko, said the Ukrainian capital ‘has entered into a defensive phase’ and that both siblings would take up arms in defense of Kyiv.

‘The city has gone into a defensive phase. Shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighbourhoods saboteurs have already entered Kyiv. The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us,’ he told a news briefing. 

Russian possession of the airport in Hostomel, which has a long runway allowing the landing of heavy-lift transport planes, would mean Putin’s forces could airlift troops directly to Kyiv’s outskirts. 

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that airborne forces used 200 helicopters to land in Hostomel and killed over 200 troops belonging to Ukraine’s special forces.

Konashenkov claimed that Russian troops suffered no casualties. That contradicts Ukrainian claims that Russian troops sustained heavy casualties in the fighting there.