(MENAFN) Top diplomats from China and Russia convened in Beijing on Sunday to address a broad array of global flashpoints, ranging from the Korean Peninsula and the war in Ukraine to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and increasingly strained ties with the United States.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who arrived in Beijing following a three-day visit to North Korea. Lavrov is also scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers’ summit in Tianjin on Tuesday.

In a statement released by Beijing, officials said Wang and Lavrov exchanged “views” on multiple geopolitical challenges, including the Korean Peninsula, the conflict in Ukraine, and the Iranian nuclear program. However, the statement did not provide further details on those discussions.

During Lavrov’s recent stop in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed firm backing for Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine. Unconditional support was pledged, underscoring Pyongyang’s alignment with Russia, even as China continues to emphasize diplomatic solutions to a war that began in February 2022.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that "the parties also discussed relations with the United States and prospects for resolving the Ukrainian crisis in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety, totality, and interrelation."

The ministry added that the Iran-Israel conflict and tensions on the Korean Peninsula were also key points of discussion.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang stated that the central aim of the talks was to “deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, promote the development and revitalization of each country, and jointly respond to the challenges brought about by a turbulent and changing world.”

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