Zelensky says he has not spoken directly with China's leader
China's leader is in the United States today, a day before he is due to meet Trump in Washington
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Zelensky says he has not had the chance to speak directly with China's leader, who he says can influence Russia more than most other actors. China's leader is in the United States today, though not meeting Zelensky, and is due to meet Trump in Washington the next day to discuss trade, rare earths and artificial intelligence.
The visit follows a meeting between Treasury Secretary Bessent and China's He Lifeng, after which Bessent said the US is open to a larger trade deal with China.
Separately, Rubio met Lavrov in New York at 9am Eastern the same day. Zelensky had warned that Russia is preparing a large-scale attack on Ukraine. After the meeting, Rubio said Russia and Ukraine both want a grain and energy ceasefire. France's Barrot said the same day that Russia is attacking the whole of Europe.
Zelensky also said Russia's budget deficit is now bigger than in any other year, with most Russian regions affected, and described a recent promise Putin made to US representatives as hollow and repeated. On Putin himself, Zelensky said that patient zero will inevitably leave this world.
Zelensky's inability to reach China's leader directly amounts to a missed opening, given the leverage he says Beijing holds over Moscow. With Russia's summer military campaign having failed and its budget under mounting strain, direct Chinese pressure could weigh materially on Russia's calculations. There is no sign Beijing intends to apply it, and the diplomatic gap around Moscow remains as it was.