Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni trumpeted China¡¯s potential for helping bring an end to Russia¡¯s grinding war in Ukraine, as she forged closer ties with the world¡¯s No. 2 economy.

While Meloni said Beijing¡¯s backing of the Russian industrial complex was an area of ¡°great friction,¡± at press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, she cited President Xi Jinping¡¯s government as an important stakeholder in finding a solution to the conflict.

¡°I believe China can become, starting from the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that it always appeals to, a key player in helping identify the elements of a just peace,¡± Meloni said of the war in Ukraine, during her first official visit to the Asian nation since coming to power in 2022.