China’s Xi Jinping expressed willingness to speak to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, the head of the EU said yesterday, after French president Emmanuel Macron urged Beijing to talk sense to Russia over the war in Ukraine.

In closely watched talks, European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and Mr Macron met with Mr Xi in Beijing.

Mr Macron said the west must engage China to help end the crisis and prevent “spiralling” tensions that could split global powers into warring blocs.

Mr Xi, who has sought to position China as a potential mediator in the conflict but has been seen by the west as favouring Russia, responded by saying he hoped Moscow and Kyiv could hold peace talks as soon as possible.

“It was interesting to hear that President Xi reiterated his willingness to speak” to Zelensky,” Ms Von der Leyen said.

Mr Xi said a conversation could happen when the “conditions and time are right”, the EU chief added.

The Chinese leader did not mention a possible conversation with Mr Zelensky in his own comments.

Mr Zelensky has repeatedly asked Mr Xi to meet him, including after the Chinese leader visited Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month.

A French diplomatic source said that Mr Xi was “ready” to call Mr Zelensky. “The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to [international] stability,” Mr Macron told Mr Xi, standing alongside the Chinese president outside the Great Hall of the People at the start of their bilateral meeting.

“I know I can count on you to bring Russia back to its senses and everyone back to the negotiating table.”

Beijing’s reputation as a diplomatic player was reinforced in March when it brokered a deal for Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume ties after years of hostility that had fuelled insecurity in the Gulf.

In a sign of the breadth of foreign policy for the world’s second largest economy, top Iranian and Saudi envoys met in Beijing yesterday, in parallel to the Europe-China summit.

China has proposed a 12-point peace plan for the Ukraine crisis that calls on both sides to agree to a gradual de-escalation leading to a comprehensive ceasefire.

The plan has been largely dismissed by the west due to China’s refusal to condemn Russia for invading its sovereign neighbour.

The US and Nato have said China was considering sending arms to Russia, which Beijing has denied.

The French diplomatic source said Mr Macron had urged Mr Xi not to provide weapons to Russia, and that Mr Xi had replied that it was not his war.

China was ready to work together with France on obtaining a negotiated end to the fighting, the source said.

France said the discussions between the leaders were “frank and constructive,” while China described them as “friendly” and “in-depth”.

Mr Macron also asked Mr Xi to press Russia to comply with international rules on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Mr Xi said all countries should respect commitments on not using nuclear weapons and “nuclear war shouldn’t be waged”, without mentioning Russia. He called on the international community to “refrain from any action that would lead to further deterioration of the crisis or even to it getting out of control”.

The EU leaders’ visit to China comes after years of souring relations with Beijing over issues including accusations of rights abuse in Xinjiang, a stalled investment pact and China’s reluctance to condemn Russia over its Ukraine invasion.

Rights groups accuse Beijing of abuses against Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labour in internment camps.

Ms Von der Leyen called the situation in Xinjiang “particularly concerning”.

She also said stability in the Taiwan Strait was of paramount importance.

Mr Xi responded by saying that expecting China to compromise on Taiwan was “wishful thinking”.