Shawdesh Desk:

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he was planning to meet Chinese president Xi Jinping after Beijing called for urgent peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president also said that he was doing his best to prevent Chinese arms supplies to Russia to avoid any risk of ‘World War III.’

‘I am planning to meet with Xi Jinping,’ he told reporters as Ukraine marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

‘This will be important for world security,’ he said.

Zelensky did not say when or where he was planning to meet Xi but expressed hope that China would support a ‘just peace’ and Ukraine.

‘I really want to believe that China will not supply weapons to Russia. It is very important for me,’ Zelensky said.

Earlier Friday, China called for urgent peace talks as it released a plan to end the war in Ukraine. Several Western powers rebuffed the proposals and also warned against Beijing’s close ties to Moscow.

Zelensky also said on Friday he was convinced that only a country whose territory is under attack can initiate ‘any peace initiatives.’

Beijing has sought to position itself as a neutral party in the conflict, while maintaining close ties with strategic ally Russia.