Report: Xi Told Trump That Putin "May Regret" Invading Ukraine

SadaNews - Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump during their talks last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin may ultimately regret invading Ukraine, according to a report by the "Financial Times."

According to sources familiar with the U.S. assessment of the summit held in Beijing, Xi's remarks came during extensive discussions about the war in Ukraine and included a suggestion from Trump that the U.S., China, and Russia collaborate against the International Criminal Court.

Xi's comments on Putin's decision to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 appeared more explicit than his previous positions, as a source familiar with his meetings with former U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Xi had not previously offered a direct assessment of Putin or the war.

This comes as Putin prepares to travel to China on Tuesday for a summit with Xi, just four days after the Chinese president hosted Trump.

Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, three weeks after visiting China and announcing a "partnership without limits" with Xi. His current visit follows 25 years after former Chinese President Jiang Zemin signed the China-Russia Treaty of Friendship with Putin.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment, while the White House also declined to comment. Trump's administration published a memo regarding the Beijing summit, but it did not include any reference to discussions about Putin or the war in Ukraine.

During the summit, Trump also suggested that the U.S., China, and Russia collaborate to face the International Criminal Court, noting that their interests align, according to insiders on the talks.

The Trump administration had previously expressed strong opposition to the International Criminal Court, accusing it of politicizing cases, abusing power, and infringing on U.S. sovereignty.

Xi's comments regarding Putin came at a time when the Russian war on Ukraine has stagnated after four years, particularly with the increasing effectiveness of drone strikes conducted by Kyiv against Russian forces and targets.

The Biden administration has repeatedly accused China of supplying Russia with dual-use materials that help it continue its war on Ukraine, while the Trump administration raised similar concerns but at a lower frequency.

Democratic U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle stated that Ukrainians "have reinvented warfare in the same way World War I changed the shape of wars in the twenty-first century," adding that drone warfare has become the norm today and is reshaping the concept of combat.

On Sunday, Ukraine conducted drone strikes targeting sites near Moscow, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said were "entirely justified," following a record Russian airstrike on Kyiv last week.

The strikes came after a three-day ceasefire that Trump had mediated, allowing Putin to organize the annual "Victory Day" parade without the risk of Ukrainian drone attacks.