Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeking 'direct talks' with China's Xi Jinping to help end Ukraine war: SCMP

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukraine is seeking an opportunity to speak "directly" with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to help end its war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, the South China Morning Post reported on Thursday.

In an interview with SCMP, the Ukrainian leader urged China to use its outsize political and economic influence over Russia to bring an end to the fighting.

"It's a very powerful state. It's a powerful economy … So (it) can politically, economically influence Russia. And China is [also a] permanent member of the UN Security Council," the report quoted Zelenskiy as saying.