Chinese leader Xi Jinping finally spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after more than six weeks of speculation. Now comes the hard part in his push to end the 14-month war.
The announcement at a special briefing late Wednesday in Beijing quickly diverted attention from an uproar caused by a Chinese diplomat who questioned the sovereignty of ex-Soviet states. While Beijing distanced itself from the remark, it undermined Xi's quest to portray China as a neutral broker - particularly given his tight relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.