Ukraine accuses China of sabotaging peace talks at a key defense forum.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky levelled serious allegations against China on the sidelines of the crucial Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. He claimed Beijing was actively seeking to undermine countries’ participation in Kyiv’s planned peace conference through its lobbying.
In comments to the media, Zelensky rued China’s assertion that equal representation of all parties, including Russia, was needed to make the summit fruitful. He said this position amounted to Beijing being “a tool in Putin’s hands” to scuttle efforts for a diplomatic solution.
Despite signaling its neutral stance, China has faced criticism for blocking international censorship of Moscow’s offensive. At the defense forum, Zelensky expressed disappointment over the absence of key global leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden.
On the same day, he held “very good” discussions with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who reiterated unwavering American aid. This included bolstering air defenses, F-16 collaboration, and a bilateral security pact.
Earlier, the Pentagon confirmed Washington lifted some restrictions on using provided weapons inside Russia, a move hailed by Ukraine. With the ground lost to Russian advances, Zelensky appealed to Asian countries to help shape the international community’s response through the envisioned peace conference.
