Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's plane turns around during flight to China, heads back to Moscow: report
President Biden is slated to speak with Chinese President Xi on Friday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was allegedly on a flight headed to Beijing Thursday, but the plane turned around midway and flew back toward Moscow, according to German newspaper Bild.
The plane allegedly turned around while over Novosibirsk, a city in Siberia, according to Bild. Fox News Digital has been unable to independently verify the outlet’s report.
RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In this photo released by the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pauses during his and Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Franca's joint news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)
A tweet posted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on Thursday states Lavrov was holding a press conference just ahead of 1 p.m. Thursday local time. That would put Lavrov in Moscow at the time he was allegedly in the air.
It is unclear if China refused to meet with a Russian official or if Russian President Vladimir Putin called him back to Russia, according to Bild. The plane's final destination is also unclear.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News they did not have information to share on the matter.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CHINA TOUTS 'FRIENDSHIP' WITH RUSSIA: 'MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGIC PARTNER'
President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose during a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Feb. 4, 2022. (Photo by Alexei DruzhininTASS via Getty Images)
Others have followed alleged flight logs, which show a Russian government plane landed in Moscow at about 6 p.m. local time, Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev posted to Twitter.
President Biden is slated to have a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday to discuss the weeks-long war in Ukraine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the call is part of the Biden administration's "ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication" between the United States and China.
Compilation phot of Xi, Biden and Putin (Getty Images)
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi touted the country’s friendship with Russia earlier this month and called Moscow the "most important strategic partner" to Beijing. China has also so far not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but China's ambassador to Ukraine, Fan Xiangong, praised the nation earlier this week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We will always respect your state, we will develop relations on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. We will respect the path chosen by Ukrainians, because this is the sovereign right of every nation," Fan told Lviv officials on Monday, according to the Lviv regional government.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"In this situation, which you have now, we will act responsibly. We have seen how great the unity of the Ukrainian people is, and that means its strength," Fan added.