Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia and China of trying to undermine his upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland. He claimed that Russia is discouraging other states from attending and that China is also working to this end.
During his address at an Asian security forum, Zelensky mentioned that some components of Russia's weaponry come from China. Although China maintains it does not take sides in the Ukraine conflict, this stance has been increasingly questioned, especially by the US. Beijing is accused of supporting Moscow by sending weapon components and buying large quantities of oil and gas, thus softening the impact of Western sanctions.
Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, attended by global defense chiefs, including US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese defense minister Dong Jun. His visit aimed to garner support from Asian countries and encourage delegates to attend his summit later in June. The summit will focus on nuclear security, food security, and the release of prisoners of war and Ukrainian children held in Russia. Zelensky announced that 106 countries have committed to sending high-level representatives or leaders to the summit. Russia has not been invited, and China has declined to attend.
According to the BBC, Russia was not formally invited as it had already informed Switzerland of its unwillingness to participate. Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to disrupt the summit by pressuring countries not to attend, using threats of blockades on agricultural, chemical, and energy goods. He also accused China of aiding this "diplomatic disruption."
Zelensky later specified that China is working to discourage countries from attending the peace summit, unlike the US, which is sending a high-level representative and encouraging others to participate. China's foreign ministry stated that the conference should include both Russia and Ukraine for it to effectively restore peace.
Zelensky recalled a promise from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to remain neutral in the conflict and not support Russia with weapons. However, he noted that intelligence agencies have found Chinese components in Russian weaponry, calling for China to maintain a "consistent" stance. The US has also accused China of helping Russia produce munitions, armored vehicles, and missiles, with an estimated 70% of Russia's machine tools and 90% of its microelectronics imports coming from China.
Earlier on Sunday, Chinese defense minister Dong Jun asserted that China does not supply weapons to either side of the Ukraine conflict and has strict controls on the export of dual-use technology. He emphasized that China supports peace and dialogue.
Zelensky mentioned that he did not meet Dong at the dialogue but did meet with Austin to discuss the US decision to allow Ukraine to use American weapons on Russian territory. While this permission comes with certain restrictions, Zelensky expressed gratitude for the ability to use the HIMARS artillery rocket system near the Kharkiv region, where intense fighting has occurred. He acknowledged that more is needed, as Russia continues to fire from airfields without fear of retaliation from Ukraine.
The US, along with other Western nations like France, has granted Ukraine more flexibility in using Western-supplied weapons, despite Russia's warnings of "serious consequences." This marks Zelensky's second visit to Asia since the war began, following his appearance at the G7 leaders' summit in Hiroshima, Japan, last year.
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