China’s Xi Seeks Peacemaker Role With Moscow Trip

Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

Xi Jinping continues his visit with Vladimir Putin in Moscow today — by far the most significant international leader to go to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in February of last year. The Chinese president’s trip also marks his most ambitious effort yet to weigh in on Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II and will be followed by his first conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Yesterday, Putin praised Beijing’s peace proposals, which have been rejected by Ukraine’s allies, ahead of one-on-one talks between the two leaders. Meanwhile, there have been further pledges of support for Ukraine, with European foreign and defense ministers agreeing to provide Kyiv with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition over the next year, and the US announcing $350 million in ammunition, river boats and other equipment for Ukraine’s military.