KYIV — China has enough leverage over Russia to push President Vladimir Putin to stop the war against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during an online address to the Hudson Institute in Washington, in remarks reported by RBC-Ukraine on Saturday. China has influence on Russia because China is a real market for Russia and trade between the two countries is the biggest, Zelenskyy said, adding that Beijing can push Putin to stop the war.

Source: RBC-Ukraine, Oct 24, 2026

Zelenskyy also addressed the possibility of a meeting between the leaders of China, the United States and Russia. He said he did not know what would be discussed if such a meeting took place, but stressed Kyiv's firm position that no decisions concerning Ukraine can be made without Ukraine, saying he hoped nobody would divide Ukraine. Ukraine needs friends, not Russian friends, he added, and concluded that if China really wants to help, it can. Times Now World, reporting the same address, said Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's support for negotiations mediated by the United States and backed by Europe.

Source: Times Now World, Oct 24, 2026

China's public position remains a political settlement through dialogue. RBC-Ukraine noted that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng recently said Beijing would continue to promote efforts to find a political settlement through dialogue and negotiations, and that Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Kyiv and Moscow to pursue dialogue, trust and mutual concessions, saying dialogue and confidence-building would be key to lasting peace.

Source: RBC-Ukraine, Oct 24, 2026

What is solid

  • Zelenskyy told the Hudson Institute, in an online address reported Saturday by RBC-Ukraine and Times Now World, that China — Russia's biggest trade partner and real market — has the leverage to push Putin to stop the war.
  • He said Ukraine's position is that no decision concerning Ukraine can be made without Ukraine, in the context of a possible China-US-Russia leaders' meeting whose agenda he said he did not know.
  • Beijing's stated position, per Han Zheng and Wang Yi as reported by RBC-Ukraine, is a political settlement through dialogue, trust and mutual concessions.

What is only claimed

  • Whether Beijing will use that leverage is unproven: China has not announced any pressure on Moscow, and the appeal is Zelenskyy's assessment of China's influence, not evidence that China has agreed to act on it.

The appeal landed in a week when Kyiv's relationship with Washington showed new strain — over Starlink restrictions, the pace of air-defence deliveries and US sanctions waivers benefiting Moscow — the South China Morning Post reported, in coverage summarised by America Strikes. On that reading, Zelenskyy is not asking Beijing to broker peace but to apply pressure Washington currently is not — a signal of how Kyiv now reads the balance of leverage.

Source: South China Morning Post reporting, via America Strikes, Oct 24, 2026