Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy believes U.S. President Donald Trump could influence Chinese President Xi Jinping’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Speaking to Fox News after meeting Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York, Zelenskiy said he sees China as unwilling to end the war but hopes Trump might push Beijing toward change.
The U.S. has criticized both China and India for buying Russian oil, which Washington says indirectly supports Moscow’s war. According to Reuters, Trump urged European Union leaders to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports to deter them from purchasing Russian energy, and suggested similar tariffs on India. Such a move would mark a shift from the EU’s current reliance on sanctions to isolate Russia.
Despite U.S. concerns, Zelenskiy described India as “mostly” aligned with Ukraine, stressing the importance of maintaining strong ties with New Delhi. He expressed confidence that Trump and European allies could help foster a closer partnership with India, reducing its dependence on Russian energy. However, he admitted that changing China’s stance will be far more challenging.
Trump, frustrated with the prolonged conflict, recently said Russia’s military failures reveal weakness, claiming the war should have ended in days if Moscow were truly powerful. He added that Russia faces “big economic trouble.” Zelenskiy welcomed Trump’s remarks, calling them a surprising but positive signal of U.S. support for Ukraine’s fight to reclaim its territory.
With the war dragging into its fourth year, Zelenskiy emphasized the need for stronger global pressure on Russia, particularly by reshaping China’s and India’s roles in the conflict.