Ukrainian Scholar: US-Russia Leader Visits to China Have Limited Impact; Beijing's Support for Moscow to Continue
Leaders from the US and Russia recently visited China, drawing attention to the Russia-Ukraine war. However, a Ukrainian scholar believes these meetings will have a limited impact on the war, asserting that China's support for Russia remains unchanged and may deepen. Yurii Poita from the Kyiv-based Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies stated that China is content with using its support for Russia to pressure the West. He cited examples such as Chinese intelligence activities, Huawei's assistance in building communication networks, and Sino-Russian talks on joint weapons production. He also warned that the war in Ukraine is linked to the Taiwan Strait situation, and if China uses force against Taiwan in the next 2-4 years, Europe's ability to provide aid would be diminished.
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- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 08:25
- 🔍 Collected: May 21, 2026 at 08:31 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 21, 2026 at 08:43 (11 min after Collected)
Leaders of the United States and Russia have recently visited China one after another, making the Russia-Ukraine war one of the focal points for outside observers. However, a Ukrainian scholar believes that these meetings will have a limited impact on the war situation in Ukraine, and that China's support for Russia shows no signs of shifting and may continue to deepen in the future.
Yurii Poita, Head of the Asia-Pacific Section at the Kyiv-based Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies, told CNA that the visits by US and Russian leaders were primarily focused on their respective strategic interests, including issues like economic and trade cooperation, with the Russia-Ukraine war not being the core focus.
He pointed out that there are currently no signs indicating China is adjusting its stance on Russia, and it is expected that Beijing will continue to expand its support for Russia. "While assisting Russia, China is also using this to exert pressure on the West, posing a threat to Europe and Western countries. It is also evident from discussions within Chinese academic circles that Beijing is quite satisfied with the current development of the Russia-Ukraine war."
Poita also cited Ukrainian intelligence sources, stating that Chinese intelligence personnel have been active in Russian-occupied territories, and Chinese telecommunications company Huawei has assisted the Russian side in establishing information networks in the occupied areas. In 2024, China and Russia discussed joint production of weapons, including drones, anti-drone systems, and armored vehicles. Chinese companies also participated in local natural resource extraction and cultural exchange programs.
He stated that although there have been signs of warming in Sino-Ukrainian diplomatic relations over the past two years, including plans for diplomatic visits and increased economic, trade, and cultural exchanges, he believes this is more like an image-building project shaped by China for the outside world.
Poita pointed out that the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in the Taiwan Strait in the Indo-Pacific region are highly interconnected, described by many political figures as a "commonality of two battlefields." He analyzed that if China were to use military force against Taiwan within the next 2 to 4 years while Europe is still mired in regional conflict, European countries' capacity for military and weapons support to Taiwan would likely decrease significantly.
Reuters recently cited a European intelligence document reporting that the Chinese military secretly assisted about 200 Russian troops in receiving training in China last year, mainly focused on drone operations, with some of the trainees later returning to the Russia-Ukraine front. The document also claimed that several hundred Chinese military personnel received related training at Russian military facilities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on the 19th and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both sides agreed to extend the "Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation," but did not focus on the Russia-Ukraine war in their public remarks. When US President Trump visited China recently, he also did not publicly mention related issues.
Furthermore, according to the Ukrainian media outlet Novyny, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a television interview today that full elections could only be held at least 3 months after a ceasefire at the earliest, with the earliest possible timing being next spring.
He also pointed out that the escalating situation in the Middle East is creating strategic space for Russia, so Russia currently has no intention of promoting a ceasefire, and economic sanctions and pressure on Russia should be continuously strengthened.
Yurii Poita, Head of the Asia-Pacific Section at the Kyiv-based Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies, told CNA that the visits by US and Russian leaders were primarily focused on their respective strategic interests, including issues like economic and trade cooperation, with the Russia-Ukraine war not being the core focus.
He pointed out that there are currently no signs indicating China is adjusting its stance on Russia, and it is expected that Beijing will continue to expand its support for Russia. "While assisting Russia, China is also using this to exert pressure on the West, posing a threat to Europe and Western countries. It is also evident from discussions within Chinese academic circles that Beijing is quite satisfied with the current development of the Russia-Ukraine war."
Poita also cited Ukrainian intelligence sources, stating that Chinese intelligence personnel have been active in Russian-occupied territories, and Chinese telecommunications company Huawei has assisted the Russian side in establishing information networks in the occupied areas. In 2024, China and Russia discussed joint production of weapons, including drones, anti-drone systems, and armored vehicles. Chinese companies also participated in local natural resource extraction and cultural exchange programs.
He stated that although there have been signs of warming in Sino-Ukrainian diplomatic relations over the past two years, including plans for diplomatic visits and increased economic, trade, and cultural exchanges, he believes this is more like an image-building project shaped by China for the outside world.
Poita pointed out that the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in the Taiwan Strait in the Indo-Pacific region are highly interconnected, described by many political figures as a "commonality of two battlefields." He analyzed that if China were to use military force against Taiwan within the next 2 to 4 years while Europe is still mired in regional conflict, European countries' capacity for military and weapons support to Taiwan would likely decrease significantly.
Reuters recently cited a European intelligence document reporting that the Chinese military secretly assisted about 200 Russian troops in receiving training in China last year, mainly focused on drone operations, with some of the trainees later returning to the Russia-Ukraine front. The document also claimed that several hundred Chinese military personnel received related training at Russian military facilities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on the 19th and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both sides agreed to extend the "Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation," but did not focus on the Russia-Ukraine war in their public remarks. When US President Trump visited China recently, he also did not publicly mention related issues.
Furthermore, according to the Ukrainian media outlet Novyny, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a television interview today that full elections could only be held at least 3 months after a ceasefire at the earliest, with the earliest possible timing being next spring.
He also pointed out that the escalating situation in the Middle East is creating strategic space for Russia, so Russia currently has no intention of promoting a ceasefire, and economic sanctions and pressure on Russia should be continuously strengthened.