So far, many Western states and Ukraine have refrained from criticizing China too harshly. The hope was always that Xi would perhaps sacrifice his strategic partner Putin for his own interests. But many actors are increasingly losing patience with the Chinese leadership.
This includes Ukrainian President Zelenskyj in Singapore. On Sunday he accused China of obstructing the summit in Switzerland. Beijing is “unfortunately working flat out to prevent countries from participating in the peace summit,” said the Ukrainian president. He said of China's actions that the country is “a tool in Putin's hands.” Russia is using Chinese influence and Chinese diplomats to “do everything to disrupt the peace summit.” Zelenskyj also said that more than 100 states and organizations have already agreed to participate in the summit. He invited states from the Asia-Pacific region to join them.
The accusation is serious and has a new dimension: China is not only standing idly by during Putin's war, but is also working against support for Kiev. This is the real battle raging in the shadows. For Ukraine, it is about getting as many supporters behind it as possible and isolating Russia.
This view is also shared by members of the Bundestag who travelled to the Shangri-La Dialogue – for example, the foreign policy spokeswoman for the Green Party in the Bundestag, Deborah Düring. “Many states, including in the region, are supporting Ukraine in different ways. But it is clear that more support is needed,” Düring told t-online on Sunday. “That is why it was an important sign that Ukrainian President Selenskyj made an impressive appeal for the support of all states at the end of the conference, especially for the upcoming Ukrainian peace conference in Switzerland.”
