Kremlin: ‘Putin and Xi agree on Board of Peace for Middle East’

Moscow (Russia), 4 February (LaPresse/AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed their countries’ relations with the United States during a video conference held today. According to Putin’s assistant, Yuri Ushakov, the leaders’ opinions ‘practically coincide,’ including on the assessment of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. ‘Russia and China support equal and mutually beneficial cooperation based on international law and the UN Charter,’ Ushakov said. Putin had previously thanked Trump for the invitation to join the Board of Peace and said that Moscow would consider the proposal. He also offered to allocate $1 billion from Russian assets frozen in the United States to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza. China has not directly commented on the Board of Peace, other than to say that it has received an invitation to participate. When asked about Trump’s new organisation that aims to replace the UN, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that Beijing will support the international system with the UN at its core, regardless of how the international landscape changes.