Xi, Putin hold phone conversation and exchange views on Ukraine situation

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday held a phone conversation.

Xi and Putin mainly exchanged views on the current Ukrainian situation during the call.

Xi said that the Chinese side supports the Russian side in solving the issue through negotiation with Ukraine.

China respects the territorial integrity and "reasonable security concerns" of all countries and hopes a balanced and sustainable security system will be built in Europe through negotiations.

Putin said that the Russian side is ready to hold high-level negotiations with the Ukrainian side.

Putin told Xi on phone that NATO and the US had long ignored Russia's "legitimate security concerns" and "kept pushing eastward," which challenged Russia's bottom line. He said Moscow is willing to have high-level talks with Ukrainian government.