Xi's call to Zelenskyy opened a new diplomatic channel
A retrospective on the Chinese leader's phone call with Ukraine's president and the announced dispatch of representatives by both countries.
What did the call between Xi Jinping and Volodymyr Zelenskyy change on 26 April 2023? Chiefly, it produced a practical step: after the conversation, both countries announced they would send representatives to establish a diplomatic presence.
The call was reported as part of the wider question of China's position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Xi, the Chinese leader, spoke directly with Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president. The announcement of representatives gave the contact a concrete follow-up beyond the conversation itself.
The diplomacy unfolded alongside continued military support for Kyiv. On 21 April 2023, Latvian Defence Minister Ināra Mūrniece said Latvia would send all of its FIM-92 Stinger missile systems to Ukraine, after a meeting with NATO allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Taken together, the two developments showed Ukraine pursuing two tracks in the same week: arms from allies and a new line of communication with Beijing. The announced dispatch of representatives was the measurable outcome of the call on 26 April 2023.
