French President Macron Expresses Concern to Chinese President Xi Jinping About Moscow’s Military Cooperation with Pyongyang
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed deep concern to Xi Jinping on Monday about Moscow’s military cooperation with Pyongyang. The two leaders had a phone call to discuss the potential implications of this cooperation on the situation in Ukraine.
During the call, President Macron expressed his hope that China would understand the critical nature of the issue and its potential impact on France and Europe as a whole. The concern stems from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to the Russian Far East in September, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following the meeting, it is reported that Russia and North Korea conducted multiple arms transactions, with North Korea reportedly providing Russia with 1 million artillery shells for use in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine in exchange for space technology.
France emphasized that North Korea’s intentions to further strengthen military cooperation with Russia are of great concern. This comes in the context of previous efforts by President Macron to engage China in creating conditions for negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. While President Macron’s visit to Beijing in April resulted in a phone call between the Chinese leader and Ukrainian President Zelensky, the situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has not significantly changed in the seven months since.
A French presidential adviser highlighted the importance of Chinese participation in negotiations within an international framework to achieve results in resolving the ongoing conflict. It is clear that President Macron’s concerns about Moscow’s military cooperation with Pyongyang and the potential implications for the situation in Ukraine are a top priority for France and its European allies.
Published on: 20/11/2023 – 15:42