Emmanuel Macron thanks Xi Jinping for ‘commitment’ not to sell arms to Russia
- On first day of Chinese leader’s European trip, French president also thanks him for supporting an ‘Olympic truce’ during the Summer Games in Paris
- Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a meeting with the two national leaders to add EU’s concerns over Ukraine and trade disputes
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed China’s “commitment” not to sell arms to Russia and to control the flow of dual-use goods to the Russian military, on the first day of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s six-day tour of Europe.
“We welcome the commitments of the Chinese authorities to abstain from selling any arms to Moscow and control strictly the exports of dual-use goods,” Macron said amid a flurry of meetings in Paris, Agence France-Presse reported.
Such a commitment would represent a breakthrough for Europe, which has long lobbied Xi to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to help end the war in Ukraine.
Xi is in France for his first European tour for five years. The two-day visit will be followed by stop-offs in Serbia and Hungary.
In Paris, Ukraine has featured prominently on the agenda. European officials believe dual-use goods, such as microchips and satellite imaging equipment, are helping to power Moscow’s war machine.
Macron also thanked Xi for backing his idea for an “Olympic truce” – which would see all global conflicts pause during the Paris Olympics in July and August.
