Kremlin prepares for Putin's visit to North Korea
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on May 18 that preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea were being carried out "at different paces."
North Korean President Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Source: TASS)) Dmitry Peskov also said that Putin's meeting earlier in the day with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Alexander Kozlov, head of the Intergovernmental Committee on Russian-North Korean Cooperation, was not related to preparations for the visit
Kim Jong-un invited Putin to visit North Korea when he visited Russia last September.
Before the Kremlin spokesman made the statement, it emerged that Moscow and Pyongyang would coordinate a time limit for the Russian leader's visit to North Korea.
Earlier, on May 18, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to China will determine the future of the world.
6 Special Reasons to 'Guide' Russian President Putin to Visit China She told TVC television that the trip laid the groundwork for years to come.
The diplomat said: "These are important steps that will determine the future not only of our region but also of the entire planet.
" Zakharova also said that relations between Russia and China are seen by most countries around the world as an alternative.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said Putin's visit to China had reaffirmed that the comprehensive partnership between the countries is qualitatively superior to traditional alliances of the past era and continues to play an important role in maintaining international security and balanced world development.
Zelensky urges China to join Ukraine peace conference
Zelensky called on China and developing countries to participate in the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland next month.
"China believes that Russia's defeat in the war in Ukraine will be a victory for the US and the West and they want to find a balance between the two. That's why I want to see China participate in the peace summit," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 17.
The Swiss government announced it would hold a Ukraine peace summit in mid-June, but Russia did not participate. China has attended several talks in preparation for the summit.
Zelensky's comments came as Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on May 16-17. The leaders of Russia and China held talks and signed a joint statement on "deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership in cooperation for the new era."
China claims to be a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict and has sought to play a mediating role. Beijing has refused to condemn Russia's campaign in Ukraine, arguing that NATO expansion and the U.S. "Cold War mentality" are to blame for the conflict.
In addition to China, Zelensky also called on Global South nations (the term for developing countries) to attend the summit. "Not sending representatives will be a public reaction that you want Russia to win, even though everyone says we want peace," the Ukrainian president said.
According to him, the sides could reach consensus on three issues during the meeting in Switzerland, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea for Ukraine to export grain to enhance global food security, calling for an end to attacks on energy infrastructure and the return of thousands of Ukrainian children who are in Russia.
"If the majority of participants reach consensus on these three steps, Russia will no longer be able to hinder us," the Ukrainian president stressed.
China has not yet responded to the Ukrainian president's call. Beijing earlier said there was "a lot of work to be done" ahead of the summit in Switzerland.
The war in Ukraine has entered its third year and shows no signs of abating, with neither Kiev nor Moscow intending to sit down at the negotiating table. More than a year ago, China released a 12-point peace plan that called for a ceasefire, the resumption of peace talks, avoiding nuclear risks, reducing the impact of the crisis on the world economy and addressing humanitarian issues.
However, China did not go into details. The plan does not require Russia to withdraw its troops from the territories it controls. On May 15, Putin expressed support for China's plan, saying Beijing understood the root causes of the conflict.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has been trying to persuade China to back its 10-point peace plan, which includes demands such as restoring its territorial integrity, withdrawing all its troops from Ukraine, ensuring nuclear safety and releasing all prisoners of war.
