China said on Thursday it was “happy” to see the US and Russia “strengthening communication” after US President Donald Trump said he expected to meet his Russian counterpart for Ukraine peace talks.
Trump said on Wednesday he had a “long and very productive” conversation with Vladimir Putin and agreed to begin talks “immediately” to end the war. It was their first confirmed contact since the US president returned to the White House. “Both Russia and the United States are major influential countries. China is pleased to see Russia and the United States strengthening communication and dialogue on various international issues,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaqun said at a regular press briefing.
On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources in Beijing and Washington, reported that Chinese officials had recently contacted the US administration through intermediaries to propose a summit between Trump and Putin. The proposal reportedly aims to “facilitate peacemaking efforts after a potential ceasefire,” but does not specifically include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the American daily reported.
A White House official dismissed Beijing’s proposal as “completely impractical,” the Journal reported. When asked about the report at a press briefing, Guo said he had no information. China and Russia, longtime socialist allies with a history of volatile relations, have grown closer in recent years in diplomatic, military, and economic spheres.
Since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Beijing has sought to portray itself as a neutral party in the conflict. Western nations, including the United States, have supported Ukraine and criticized China for refusing to condemn Russia, but Washington’s position has been cast in doubt since Trump returned to power.
“China has always believed that dialogue and negotiation are the only practical way to resolve the crisis and has always been committed to promoting peace talks,” Guo said on Thursday.
