Putin Says Chinese Proposal Could Be Basis for Peace in Ukraine

 Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. (Reuters)
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Putin Says Chinese Proposal Could Be Basis for Peace in Ukraine

 Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday that Chinese proposals could be used as the basis of a peace settlement in Ukraine, but that the West and Kyiv were not yet ready.

In a joint statement issued at the end of Xi's state visit to Moscow, the two men cautioned against any steps that might push the Ukraine conflict into an "uncontrollable phase", adding pointedly that there could be no winners in a nuclear war.

Putin accused Western powers of fighting "to the last Ukrainian", while Xi reiterated China's "neutral position" on Ukraine and called for dialogue.

"We believe that many of the provisions of the peace plan put forward by China are consonant with Russian approaches and can be taken as the basis for a peaceful settlement when they are ready for that in the West and in Kyiv. However, so far we see no such readiness from their side," Putin said.

China's proposal - a 12-point paper calling for a de-escalation and eventual ceasefire in Ukraine - lacks details on how to end the war.

The United States has been dismissive of the Chinese proposal, given Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia over Ukraine, and says a ceasefire now would lock in Russian territorial gains and give Putin's army more time to regroup.

Kyiv has welcomed China's diplomatic involvement but says Russia must pull its troops out of Ukraine, and underlines the importance of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Burgeoning ties

The Kremlin talks were intended to cement the "no limits" partnership the two leaders announced last February, less than three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine.

They signed a series of documents on a "strategic cooperation" after what Putin described as "successful and constructive" talks showing China was clearly now Russia's most important economic partner.

"I am convinced that our multi-faceted cooperation will continue to develop for the good of the peoples of our countries," Putin said in televised remarks.

Xi's state visit is a major boost to Putin as he squares off against what he sees as a hostile West bent on inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia.

The Chinese leader visited Moscow days after an international court issued an arrest warrant for Putin over Russia's actions in Ukraine, where Russian forces have made little progress in recent months despite suffering heavy losses.

In their joint statement, Xi and Putin also called on the United States to stop "undermining global strategic security" and to cease developing a global missile defense system.

While pledging more regular joint military drills, however, the two leaders said their closer bilateral relationship was not directed against any third nation and that it did not constitute a "military-political alliance".

Power of Siberia

Putin said Russia, China and Mongolia had completed all agreements on a planned pipeline to ship Russian gas to China, and that Moscow was ready to increase oil exports to Beijing.

He also said Moscow was ready to help Chinese businesses replace Western firms that have left Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

The planned Power of Siberia 2 pipeline would deliver 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year from Russia to China via Mongolia. Moscow put forward the idea many years ago, but it has gained urgency as Russia turns to China to replace Europe as its major gas customer.

Russia's Gazprom already supplies gas to China through an existing Power of Siberia pipeline under a 30-year, $400 billion deal launched at the end of 2019. That pipeline spans some 3,000 km (1,865 miles).

Russia's gas exports to China are still a small fraction of the record 177 bcm it delivered to Europe in 2018-19.

Putin said on Tuesday Russia would deliver at least 98 bcm of gas to China by 2030.



Congregation Flees after Arsonist Sets Fire to an Australian Synagogue Door

05 July 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Damage is seen on the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
05 July 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Damage is seen on the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
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Congregation Flees after Arsonist Sets Fire to an Australian Synagogue Door

05 July 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Damage is seen on the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
05 July 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Damage is seen on the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa

An arsonist set fire to the door of a Melbourne synagogue and forced the congregation to flee on Friday, seven months after criminals destroyed a synagogue in the same Australian city with an accelerant-fueled blaze that left a worshipper injured.

A man doused the double front doors of the downtown East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and set it alight around 8 p.m., a police statement said on Saturday. Around 20 worshippers sharing a meal to mark the Shabbat Jewish day of rest evacuated through a rear door and no one was injured, police said.

Fire fighters extinguished the blaze which was contained to the front entrance, police said.

Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said both incidents were designed to “traumatize Jewish families.”

“Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate, and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of antisemitism,” she said in a statement.

Antisemitic attacks roil Australia since 2023 A wave of antisemitic attacks has roiled Australia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel triggered the war in Gaza.

Jewish and Muslim organizations and hate researchers have recorded drastic spikes in hate-fueled incidents on both groups. The Australian government last year appointed special envoys to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia in the community.

Last December, two masked men struck the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne’s southeast. They caused extensive damage by spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms throughout the building before igniting it. A worshipper sustained minor burns.

No charges have been laid for that attack, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed on antisemitism.

The Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, which includes Victoria state police, federal police and Australia’s main domestic spy agency, said the fire was likely a politically-motivated attack.

Police say synagogue attack is a serious crime

Acting Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan described the latest synagogue fire as a serious crime. Police released a CCTV image of a suspect.

“I’d like to make it very clear that we do recognize that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent. But at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident,” Dunstan told reporters.

“In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved, or person, to determine if this is in fact terrorism. At the moment, we are categorizing it as a serious criminal incident and responding accordingly,” she added.

A terrorism declaration opens the investigation to more resourcing and can result in charges that carry longer prison sentences.

The synagogue’s president, Danny Segal, called for the wider Australian community to stand with his congregation.

“We’re here to be in peace, you know, we’re here for everybody to live together and we’ve got a fresh start in Australia, such a beautiful country, and what they're doing is just not fair and not right, and as Australians, we should stand up and everybody should stand up,” Segal told reporters.

Protesters harass diners in Israeli-owned restaurant

Also in downtown Melbourne on Friday night, around 20 masked protesters harassed diners in an Israeli-owned restaurant. A Miznon restaurant window was broken. A 28-year-old woman was arrested for hindering police.

Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich, a leading opponent of antisemitism in Australia, said diners were terrorized as the group chanted “Death to the IDF,” referring to the Israeli army.

“Melbourne, for one night, stopped being a safe place for Jews,” Abramovich said.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece condemned both the synagogue and restaurant incidents.

“These criminal acts against a Melbourne synagogue and an Israeli business are absolutely shocking,” Reece said. “All of us as a community need to stand up against it.”

Israel’s deputy foreign minister condemned the attacks, saying it was “yet another reminder of how far racist, antisemitic hate crimes have spread in the heart of Australia,” in a statement on X.

Sharren Haskel expressed her full solidarity with the Jewish community in Melbourne, “Israel stands with you,” she said in the statement.