Opinion: Why Xi may finally be ready to talk to Zelensky

Editor’s Note: Frida Ghitis, (@fridaghitis) a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN.

CNN
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You might have expected US officials to seem concerned about reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Xi’s likely trip to Russia next week. After all, Xi, who leads the country the US views as its greatest strategic threat, is feeling stronger than ever.

In the past few days, the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong secured an unprecedented third presidential term and, in a blow to US influence in the Middle East, Xi helped broker a diplomatic agreement between bitter rivals – Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Now, emboldened by that success, Xi may try to bring peace to Ukraine. If he can find a formula that stops the bloodshed in Ukraine without allowing Russia’s aggression to pay off, Xi will deserve the plaudits. Zelensky, the Ukrainian people, as well as the US and its allies would welcome such an outcome. But this is all a big if.

Given the potential – and other less obvious but also important outcomes that could follow from the meeting – it’s not surprising that Washington seems rather pleased by the news.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan hailed the idea, saying the US has been trying to convince Xi to speak with Zelensky. Zelensky, too, has wanted to talk to Xi, one of the few major global players with whom he has not had a chance to have a conversation since the war began.

Zelensky has good reason to trust his powers of persuasion, and by now the US has also learned that Zelensky can be a very convincing advocate for his country.

Although the meeting – which would be a call, according to the Wall Street Journal – has not been confirmed, it would allow Xi to raise his status as a global statesman and peacemaker. Both Zelensky and the Biden administration also hope that the conversation would give Xi a different perspective. Crucially, they hope it will help prevent China from deciding to provide arms to Russia.

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