OREANDA-NEWS France is a participant in the conflict in Ukraine, and therefore cannot be a mediator in its settlement, the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov told reporters, RBC correspondent reports.

"Paris cannot claim to be a mediator now, as it takes the position of a participant in the conflict. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine mediation efforts," he said.

Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping told French President Emmanuel Macron that Beijing is ready to support Paris' peace plan if he comes up with such an initiative. In early April, the French leader arrived on a visit to China. He was accompanied by the head of the EC Ursula von der Leyen. Following the talks, Macron and Xi Jinping called for the early start of peace talks to end the conflict and achieve a "lasting peace." The French president hoped that the Chinese leader would "bring Russia to reason and bring everyone to the negotiating table." Xi Jinping, in turn, expressed readiness to work together with Paris to avoid escalation.

The Kremlin, commenting on reports that Macron went to Beijing to convince Xi Jinping about Ukraine, said that China is "not a country that changes its positions so quickly under external influence."