What to Make of Xi and Zelensky’s First Call Since Russia’s Invasion

China's efforts to frame itself as a promoter of peace in Ukraine are unlikely to achieve progress in the foreseeable future and its activities will remain aligned with Russia's goals. On April 26, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone, in their first conversation since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The readouts of the call, which Beijing said was held at Kyiv's initiative, included numerous statements intended to reassure the other side (and the world) of the resilience of China-Ukraine ties, despite the lack of meaningful high-level contact between the two countries over the past year. Xi claimed China-Ukraine relations had reached the level of ''strategic partnership,'' noting that ''both sides should focus on the future'' and ''plan for bilateral relations in the long term,'' and also assured that Beijing would be ready to work with Kyiv ''no matter how the international situation...