US President Donald Trump has expressed hopes that China could play a decisive role in persuading Russia to engage in peace talks with Ukraine. Speaking aboard Air Force One ahead of his Asia tour, Trump said he intends to discuss the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their upcoming meeting in South Korea.
“I’d like China to help us out with Russia,” Trump said, adding that he maintains a “very good relationship” with Xi and believes the Chinese leader “wants to see the war end.”
However, analysts suggest this may be wishful thinking. China has emerged as Russia’s most significant ally since Western sanctions were imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Beijing has provided vital economic and diplomatic support, helping Russia mitigate the impact of international isolation.
Trump’s comments follow a challenging week for Kyiv. The United States declined to provide Tomahawk cruise missiles, while European Union leaders once again withheld frozen Russian assets that Ukraine had hoped to use for defense funding. Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities have intensified, compounding civilian suffering.
The US president’s push for an end to the war has become a key focus in recent months, but his attempts have yielded little progress. A much-publicized summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August failed to produce any tangible results.
“Every time I speak to Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere,” Trump admitted earlier this week.
In a tougher stance, Trump announced new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies the first direct US economic measures against Moscow under his administration. The Kremlin, however, brushed off the move, claiming it was “immune” to the sanctions.
Whether Trump can persuade China to influence Moscow remains uncertain but his latest remarks suggest he’s betting on Beijing’s leverage to break the stalemate in Ukraine.
