Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged US President Donald Trump to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping to cut his backing for Moscow when the two leaders meet later this week in South Korea on the sidelines of a summit.
“I think this may be one of (Trump’s) strong moves, especially if, following this decisive sanctions step, China is ready to reduce imports”
from Russia, Zelenskyy briefed reporters at a press conference on Tuesday.
On 30 October, US President Donald Trump will hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a summit in Asia, the White House confirmed. The planned event will mark the first in-person meeting for both leaders since Trump’s previous term in office.
How has China supported Russia amid the Ukraine war?
Zelenskyy had mentioned in April that China provided Russia with weapons and gunpowder, and claimed that some intelligence suggests China produced weapons on Russian territory.
Moreover, an official of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Agency, Oleh Aleksandrov, also claimed that Beijing was sharing satellite intelligence on targets, including those acquiring foreign investment.
“There is evidence of a high level of cooperation between Russia and China in conducting satellite reconnaissance of the territory of Ukraine in order to identify and further explore strategic objects for targeting,”
Aleksandrov stated “As we have seen in recent months, these sites may belong to foreign investors.”
On October 13, a Washington Post report stated that China has significantly boosted its supply of essential components needed to manufacture fibre-optic drones that are being deployed in large quantities by Russian forces in the war in Ukraine.
Recently, the volume of fibre-optic cables and lithium-ion batteries exported to Russia has surged. In August 2025, for example, China exported 328,000 miles of fibre optic cable to Russia, which is the highest monthly total on record. During the same month, China provided Russia with around $47 million worth of lithium-ion batteries, the report added.
What is China’s official stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
China officially denies claims of providing military aid or sharing intelligence with Russia, maintaining its public position of neutrality and non-intervention. China publicly declared it is neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and has explicitly stated that it is not a party to the conflict.
Beijing promotes negotiations, calls for a ceasefire, and engages in peace talks, marketing itself as a potential mediator for the diplomatic resolution of the crisis. Chinese officials reiterated their claim that China has not given lethality weapons to either side in the conflict and expressed hope for a political resolution to the conflict.
