Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly told US President Donald Trump during their recent talks in Beijing that Russian President Vladimir Putin could eventually come to regret launching the invasion of Ukraine, according to information published by the Financial Times citing people familiar with the discussions.
The reported remarks were made during broader conversations covering Ukraine, global security, and international institutions. According to sources cited by the newspaper, Trump also suggested during the meeting that the United States, China, and Russia should cooperate in opposing the International Criminal Court, arguing that the three powers share common interests on the issue.
The Financial Times noted that Xi’s comments appeared more direct than his previous public or private assessments of the war. People familiar with earlier meetings between Xi and former US President Joe Biden said the Chinese leader had previously spoken openly about the conflict, but had stopped short of explicitly judging Putin or criticizing the decision to invade Ukraine.
The reports surfaced just before Putin’s scheduled visit to China on May 19 for another summit with Xi, only days after the Chinese president hosted Trump in Beijing. The timing has drawn attention as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year and battlefield conditions increasingly resemble a prolonged stalemate.
