Praise for Xi’s call with Zelenskyj – the nightly update without photos

The phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Chinese Head of State and Party Leader Xi Jinping was seen internationally as a positive sign. Praise for Zelenskyj’s conversation with Xi, who is better known as a confidant of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, came from Berlin and Washington, for example. The Ukrainian head of state himself later spoke of a “long and reasonably reasonable conversation”.

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Zelenskyj: Could use China’s political influence

“Now there is an opportunity to give new impetus to our Ukrainian-Chinese relations,” Zelenskyj said in his video address on Wednesday evening. “There is an opportunity to use China’s political power to reaffirm the principles and rules upon which peace must be based.”

Zelenskyy added that China, like Ukraine and the majority of the world community, is interested in the strength of sovereign nations, their territorial integrity and the prevention of nuclear disasters. “We have agreed to continue our communication.”

Xi and Zelenskyy spoke on the phone for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since then, however, Xi has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin several times. Critics accuse China of not being neutral in the conflict – also because the country has not yet condemned the Russian invasion.

US government: conversation “a good thing”

The US government also welcomed the call. “We think that’s a good thing,” said National Security Council communications director John Kirby. The US administration has been saying for some time that it is important for Xi and the Chinese government to listen to Ukraine’s perspective on Russia’s offensive war. However, it is still unclear whether this could lead to a significant development towards peace.

Ukraine and Russia exchange prisoners of war again

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia again exchanged prisoners of war. “We managed to bring home 44 of our people,” the head of the Kiev presidential office, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram. There are 36 soldiers and 6 officers who defended the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol last year, among other things. In addition, two civilians were released. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it had exchanged 40 of its own soldiers. The men had already been taken to Moscow by plane.

NATO Secretary General wants faster expansion of arms production

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on the member states of the defense alliance to accelerate the expansion of weapons and ammunition production capacity. It’s about going further and faster, the Norwegian said at the start of a two-day conference of national armaments directors at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The military capabilities the Alliance needs would have to be acquired, and to do so it would have to work together and with industry.

What will be important on Thursday

Pope Francis plans to have an audience with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal in Rome. (sda/dpa)