Mr Johnson is said to have outlined the UK’s position on Ukraine during the talks, and said Putin should be pressured to withdraw his troops. In a reading of the call issued later, the number 10 said: “The leaders discussed a range of issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Ukraine. It was an honest and candid conversation that lasted almost an hour. They agreed to speak again soon.” It came after US President Joe Biden reiterated his warning to China not to come to Russia’s aid in Ukraine. He said he had made it clear that such aid would have “consequences” when he spoke with President Xi. Biden said he had told President Xi that he would “put himself at significant risk” in his efforts to strengthen economic ties with the United States and Europe if China were to help Russia. The Johnson-Biden rapprochement comes at a potentially critical time in the war in Ukraine, with Russia’s attack seemingly halted and the country seeking support to help deal with the severe economic hardship caused by Western sanctions. Washington has been warning Beijing for weeks not to help Moscow amid reports that Russia has asked China for military assistance. The last time Mr Johnson spoke with President Xi was in October, when they discussed a range of issues, including action on the climate crisis, world trade and economic co-operation, security and human rights. The number 10 added that the Prime Minister had expressed his condolences to the victims of the China Eastern Airlines plane crash earlier this week. President Xi asked him to convey his “best wishes” to the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee. Earlier, a spokesman said: “Obviously, the prime minister is talking to a lot of world leaders and quite regularly throughout what has happened in Ukraine. “This is part of the prime minister’s broader commitment to world leaders, so that he can state our position on where we think the current situation is.” Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, China has taken a publicly neutral stance in support of talks to end the conflict, while urging “maximum restraint” and de-escalation.
