Zelenskyy Says Trump Could Persuade China To End Russia’s War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he believes US President Donald Trump could play a key role in persuading Chinese leader Xi Jinping to change his stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Speaking after a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine does not feel China is interested in ending the war. He suggested that Trump has the ability to influence Beijing’s position.

China’s Position In The Conflict

Although China is not a direct party to the war, Kyiv has long accused Beijing of helping Moscow indirectly. Ukrainian officials say that China has supplied dual-use items to Russia, meaning goods that can serve both civilian and military purposes. At the same time, Beijing continues to purchase large amounts of Russian oil and energy, which helps Moscow sustain its economy during the conflict. Zelenskyy argued that if China truly wanted the war to end, it could pressure Moscow to stop the invasion, declaring that “without China, Putin’s Russia is nothing.”

Trump Shows Stronger Support For Ukraine

Donald Trump, after his meeting with Zelenskyy, expressed one of his strongest positions in support of Ukraine so far. Writing on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Russia was in deep economic trouble and said he believed Ukraine could win back all of its lost territory. He pointed out that Russia had been fighting for more than three years without achieving its goals. Zelenskyy welcomed this as a “big shift” in Trump’s position on the war and called it an encouraging sign of stronger US support for Ukraine.

Russia Probing NATO Defenses With Drones

During his press conference at the United Nations, Zelenskyy also raised new concerns about Russia’s military actions beyond Ukraine. He said that Russia is launching long-range drones into the airspace of NATO countries to test their air defense systems and search for weak points. According to Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin will keep looking for vulnerabilities in Europe’s security and in NATO’s protective shield, posing a wider threat to the alliance.

UN Report On Human Rights Violations

At the same time, the United Nations released a new report accusing Russia of serious human rights abuses in occupied parts of Ukraine. The report stated that Russian forces have engaged in “widespread” and “systematic” torture of civilian detainees since the invasion began in February 2022. These abuses included physical violence, psychological pressure, and sexual violence. The UN rights office said these actions represent clear violations of international law and have been used consistently in areas under Russian control.

Nuclear Safety Concerns At Zaporizhzhia

Ukraine’s energy ministry also issued a warning about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian occupation. The ministry confirmed that the plant’s external power lines were cut off for the 10th time since the start of the war. Officials stressed that this repeated disruption is extremely dangerous and proves that Russian occupation is the main threat to the plant’s safe operation. The ministry called for urgent international action to secure the removal of Russian forces from the site to prevent a possible nuclear disaster.

A Growing International Challenge

The developments highlight how the war in Ukraine continues to affect not just Kyiv and Moscow but also global politics. Zelenskyy’s appeal to Trump shows his hope that the United States can use its influence to involve China more directly in ending the conflict. Meanwhile, Trump’s stronger statements of support suggest that Washington may step up its backing of Kyiv in the months ahead. At the same time, NATO faces growing security risks, civilians in occupied areas continue to suffer abuses, and Europe faces nuclear safety threats.