Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invites Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit after Russia visit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit his nation following Xi’s recent visit to Russia, which invaded Ukraine last year.

“I want to speak with him,” Zelenskyy said in an AP interview, noting that the two leaders haven’t been in contact since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

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The Ukrainian leader has previously extended Xi invitations, but this latest one comes just days after Xi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia.

It’s unknown whether Xi will accept Zelenskyy’s offer.

When asked about the invitation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters she had no information to give but did say that the country maintains “communication with all parties concerned, including Ukraine,” according to the AP.

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Despite its long history of being economically aligned and politically favorable toward Russia, China has remained officially neutral within the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, it has continued to be a key player.

Contributing The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine's Zelenskyy invites China's Xi to visit