China supports “the recent consensus” between the U.S. and Russia on the war in Ukraine, said Wang Yi, the country’s foreign minister, amid ongoing discussions about bringing an end to the nearly three-year-long war.

North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to support Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian, U.S. and South Korean assessments, Pyongyang's first major involvement in a war since the 1950s.

China has presented itself as a neutral party and mediator since Putin launched the full-scale invasion three years ago.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss a wide range of topics, including relations with the U.S. and the Ukrainian conflict, the Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday.