Macron urges Xi to back moratorium on strikes targeting Ukraine's energy sites

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Beijing to support the call to impose a "moratorium" on strikes targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure. 

"I hope that China will join our call and our efforts to achieve, at the very least, a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes targeting critical infrastructure as soon as possible. This is key for the coming winter, since today, civilian infrastructure, and in particular energy infrastructure, remains under Russian attack," Macron said as he met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing on December 4, Caliber.Az quotes Macron as saying in an AP live broadcast.

He further said: "We must continue to work towards peace and stability in the world, and in Ukraine and other regions affected by war," Macron told Xi, adding: "Our capacity to work together is decisive."

Moreover, during the meeting, Macron sought Xi's help in securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, as the war with Russia drags into a fourth winter. China regularly calls for peace talks and respect for the territorial integrity of all countries, but has never condemned Russia for its 2022 invasion.

Macron's three-day visit to Beijing follows a trip to Paris by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who urged Europe to stand by Kyiv as US President Donald Trump pushes a plan to end the war.

By Khagan Isayev