Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused China of aiding Russia in efforts to disrupt an upcoming Swiss-organized peace conference on the war in Ukraine. Speaking on June 2, 2024, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an esteemed Asian security forum, Zelensky claimed China's pressure on other nations not to attend the summit is influencing the efforts negatively.
Zelensky emphasized that Russia, leveraging Chinese influence and diplomats, is attempting to undermine the peace talks. He described China as regrettably being used as an instrument by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky also urged countries to participate in the summit, to be held on June 15-16 in Switzerland, emphasizing the importance of collective global action to address fundamental issues such as nuclear and food security, the release of prisoners of war, and the return of Ukrainian children from Russia.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, also present at the Shangri-La Dialogue, did not address the Swiss meetings specifically. However, he reiterated China's commitment to peace talks and clarified that China has not supplied weapons to either side in the Ukraine conflict, a claim questioned by the U.S., which suggests China’s export of dual-use goods supports Russia's defense industry.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attended the forum and remarked on Putin's war of aggression, endorsing the international support for Ukraine. The forum marks Zelensky's second visit to Asia since the start of the conflict, highlighting the importance of bolstering support for Ukraine's peace efforts.
China and Russia have defended their positions, with China asserting the necessity of balanced participation in peace discussions and denying weapon supplies to Russia. Despite these assurances, Zelensky cited intelligence suggesting Chinese-made components being used in Russian weaponry. The peace summit aims to achieve a consensus on ending the war, though major players like China and Russia are not expected to attend.