Zelensky accuses China of lacking will to push Russia toward peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday accused China of showing little interest in helping end Russia's war on his country, saying Beijing has the influence but has failed to use it.

"China certainly has the ability to make the Russians stop killing. But the world has seen no effort by China to apply that to Russia," Zelensky said at an appearance in Kiev.

He noted that while Beijing has called for an end to the conflict and warned against its escalation, Russian President Vladimir Putin "has done nothing."

Zelensky also criticized China for hosting Putin during his recent four-day state visit.

"That does not stop China from welcoming Putin and discussing with him the most important thing: longevity," he said, alluding to a conversation between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping about ageing and immortality that was accidentally overheard during the trip.

Ukraine has been resisting Russia's invasion for more than three and a half years with Western backing. Like Russia, it relies on Chinese-made components for drone production, while China has become one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas.

Kiev has repeatedly tried to get Beijing on side, despite the "no limits" partnership declared by Xi Putin just days before Russian ground troops crossed the border and Moscow began pounding Ukraine from the air on February 24, 2022.