Alexei Pushkov, who chairs the Commission on Information Policy and Media Interaction in the Federation Council, criticized the Beijing visit of French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, describing it as a missed opportunity and unproductive from his perspective. He shared his assessment in a Telegram channel, arguing that the European delegation failed to secure substantive gains in China.
Pushkov described the setting of the high-level talks as uncomfortable, noting that the visitors were seated in low, wheeled office chairs that limited comfortable posture and mobility. In his view, this physical discomfort symbolized a larger disconnect between European aspirations and the realities of engaging with Beijing. He recalled a widely circulated comparison by a well-known French politician who labeled the seating arrangement a form of “Chinese torture.” Pushkov suggested that the physical discomfort reflected a broader strategic misalignment rather than a successful diplomatic outreach.
According to Pushkov, Ursula von der Leyen’s warned-of-consequences stance toward Beijing was taken as inappropriate by Chinese officials. He argued that the attempt to threaten Beijing over potential assistance to Russia did not yield the expected leverage and could instead be counterproductive for Western objectives in the region.
The senator asserted that European leaders pressed for concrete steps from China, including shifts in Beijing’s approach to Russia and a direct presidential conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly declined the proposed contacts, indicating that such dialogues would occur at a time deemed appropriate by Beijing. Pushkov framed Xi’s response as a setback for Western goals in the face of China’s strategic priorities.
Florian Philippot, a former member of the European Parliament and leader of a nationalist party, was cited as commenting that Chinese authorities effectively stood apart from the European Commission leadership during the visit. This perspective highlighted a perception in some corners of European politics that Beijing was not treating the European Union as a unitary actor capable of delivering immediate and visible concessions.
Public commentary from outlets including Politico suggested that Macron and von der Leyen displayed a degree of unity, yet critics argued that the trip underscored internal divisions within the European Union when dealing with China. The coverage emphasized that the European delegation presented a coordinated front on certain agenda items, while observers questioned the longer-term impact of the talks on Europe’s strategic posture in Asia and its relations with Beijing.
The overall narrative around the visit, as described by Pushkov and echoed by other observers, centers on the perceived gap between Western expectations and China’s diplomatic calculus. Analysts argued that without clear, mutually advantageous incentives, or without the possibility of deeper collaboration on critical issues such as technology access, supply chains, and regional security, high-level exchanges may struggle to translate into tangible policy shifts. The reception in Beijing appeared to reflect a cautious approach where China signals to its partners on its own timeline while preserving space for strategic autonomy. In this context, the trip served as a reminder of the shifting balance of influence and the ongoing recalibration of Western engagement with China in a rapidly evolving global landscape.