French President Emmanuel Macron says China, the US and the UK will back calls for a global ceasefire to focus on fighting the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Macron said US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chinese President Xi Jinping had backed the United Nations’ plea for a global truce.
China, the US and the UK are influential permanent members of the UN Security Council alongside France and Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron (left) has been instrumental in pulling together the truce. Source: AAP
Eyes on Vladimir Putin
Mr Macron said he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would also back the coronavirus truce.
"I spoke to him at the start of this initiative. I haven't spoken to him since I got the firm confirmations of the other leaders,” Mr Macron told Radio France Internationale.
"I think that for sure President Putin will agree and the day he says he does, we'll be able to hold this videoconference and relay this call in a solemn, forceful and efficient way."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the world truce on March 23, warning that in war-torn countries, health systems have collapsed and the small number of health professionals left were often targeted in the fighting.
The UN Security Council met on April 9 to discuss the coronavirus pandemic.
The full 15-member body - charged with maintaining international peace and security - has struggled to agree on whether it should take any action.
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