Russian President Vladimir Putin may ultimately regret his invasion of Ukraine, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly told Donald Trump during talks when the US president visited Beijing last week.
Read: Axios: Trump advisors warn – “China’s invasion of Taiwan likely within next five years”
According to people familiar with the US assessment of the Beijing Summit cited by the Financial Times, Xi Jinping made these comments during extensive talks that also covered Ukraine. During these discussions, the US president proposed that the three leaders work together against the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Financial Times: Putin may regret Ukraine invasion, Xi told Trump
Regarding Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch the full-scale invasion of Russia’s neighboring country in 2022, Xi Jinping’s comments appeared more pointed than in the past. A person familiar with the Chinese president’s meetings with former US President Joe Biden said that while the leaders had conducted “frank and direct” talks about Russia and Ukraine, Xi had not previously assessed Putin or the war.
Putin in Beijing today
Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin travels to China for a summit with Xi Jinping, four days after the Chinese leader hosted Trump in their second meeting since the American president’s return to the White House.
It should be noted that Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, three weeks after a trip to China during which he announced a “limitless partnership” with Xi. This year’s two-day Putin visit takes place 25 years after the China-Russia friendship treaty signed by then-President Jiang Zemin with Putin.
No comment
Both the Chinese embassy in Washington and the White House declined to comment on the Financial Times report. The Trump administration released a briefing note on Sunday about the Beijing summit, with no mention of discussions about Putin or the war in Ukraine.
Trump: United front against International Criminal Court
During the summit with Xi, Trump also proposed that the US, China and Russia work together to counter the International Criminal Court, arguing their interests were aligned, according to people familiar with the talks. The White House declined to comment on the specific Court reference, though the Trump administration has previously expressed strong opposition, accusing it of politicization, abuse of power, challenging US national sovereignty and excessive judicial interference. Some officials describe it as a tool of “lawfare” against the US.
It’s worth noting that Xi’s comment about Putin comes with Russia’s war against Ukraine having reached a stalemate after four years, while Kyiv has proven effective in recent months using drone attacks against Russian forces and targets. Among other developments, Ukraine conducted drone attacks near Moscow on Sunday (17/5), which Volodymyr Zelensky called “completely justified,” following Russia’s record air assault on Kyiv the previous week. The attacks came after a three-day ceasefire negotiated by Trump, which allowed Putin to hold his annual Victory Day parade without the risk of Ukrainian drone attacks.
