Zelensky Asked Trump to Enlist China in Ending Russia's War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Friday that he asked former President Donald Trump to encourage Chinese President Xi Jinping to utilize Beijing's influence over Moscow as part of a diplomatic effort to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky, who met with Trump on Tuesday during his trip to the United States coinciding with the UN General Assembly, told reporters he has not yet received feedback from the White House regarding Trump's discussions with Xi.

Zelensky is seeking to gather further international support for Ukraine's defense. NATO countries have previously described China as a "decisive enabler" of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion.

US Proposes Technical Talks

In separate remarks to journalists, Zelensky indicated that Washington is advocating for initial technical talks involving delegations from the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia. Ukraine is awaiting a proposed date from the U.S. for these meetings, with American officials suggesting the United Arab Emirates as a potential location, Zelensky said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Friday that Putin and Trump discussed holding such a meeting in the near future during a call earlier this month, but added, "As of now, I can't give you any specifics." Representatives from the three nations held three rounds of trilateral negotiations earlier this year, with two sessions in Abu Dhabi and one in Geneva, none of which resulted in significant breakthroughs.

Putin commented Friday that while "proposals to resume the talks are all on the table," Moscow "will think carefully about what we need to do in response" to recent Ukrainian attacks. He stressed that the Kremlin would base its decisions, "including on the possible resumption of the negotiation process, based on the interests of the Russian Federation."

Sanctions and Defense Systems

During his U.S. visit, Zelensky met with senators and members of Congress, expressing gratitude for their bipartisan support in passing a sanctions bill against Moscow the previous month. Trump signed the bill into law but has not yet enacted the measures. Zelensky expressed hope that Trump would implement the sanctions, stating they are a strong tool that "can use this tool to pressure the Russian Federation."

Zelensky also stated that Trump confirmed a final decision had been made to grant Kyiv licenses for the production of Patriot air defense systems. Ukraine has been seeking these American-made systems to counter Russian ballistic missiles, but supply has been limited. Trump had previously indicated in July he would allow Ukraine to produce its own Patriots but appeared to reconsider the decision later.

Black Sea Trade and Financial Aid

Zelensky reported holding discussions with leaders from India, Turkey, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries regarding the unimpeded flow of food through the Black Sea. These nations rely on supplies from Ukraine and Russia, major global exporters of wheat, barley, and sunflower oil. Wartime attacks on cargo vessels have disrupted this critical supply route.

Ukraine's president added that these leaders were scheduled to speak with Russian officials about resuming full deliveries via a Black Sea ceasefire. Zelensky also addressed Ukraine's strained finances with the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, citing wartime expenses and production drops. He noted that the European Union and the IMF would continue financial support for Ukraine, with a significant portion of the funding gap related to weapons purchases and potential future deals for technology sharing and joint drone production.