French President Emmanuel Macron told Chinese President Xi Jinping he was counting on him “to bring Russia back to its senses” and to bring all sides back to the negotiating table during their four-on-four meeting in Beijing , where the French president is making an official visit.

“I know I can count on you to bring Russia back to reason and all sides to the negotiating table,” Emmanuel Macron told Xi.

“The Russian attack on Ukraine has dealt a blow to international stability,” the French president said.

The Chinese president hailed China’s relations with France in a world undergoing “profound historical change”. “Today, the world is experiencing profound historical change,” Xi said, stressing that relations between Paris and Beijing have nevertheless experienced “a positive and smooth development.”

The two leaders will hold a joint press conference at 12:30 PM Greek time, followed by a tripartite meeting with the participation of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

The goal of the two European leaders is to make their voices heard in Xi, a close ally of Moscow, to whom they reserve some role in the peace process in Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron previously met with Chinese Premier Li Chiang with whom he discussed the issue of the war in Ukraine, according to the French presidency. The French president stressed “the importance of the dialogue between China and France in these turbulent times we are going through”.

He then met with the chairman of the Chinese National Assembly, Zhao Leji, to whom he pointed out “the effects of the war in Ukraine on the global security of strategic balances”.

For her part, Ursula von der Leyen was welcomed by Li Chiang to whom he emphasized “that the relations between the European Union and China have become complicated in recent years and it is important to jointly discuss all aspects of this relationship today, especially in this volatile geopolitical environment.”