Zelensky says China’s ‘support to Russia’ will extend war in Ukraine during surprise appearance in Asia

Singapore CNN —

China’s support to Russia will extend the war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday, as he called on countries across the Asia-Pacific to join an upcoming peace summit he accused Russia of trying to thwart.

Zelensky made the comments in Singapore during a surprise appearance at a meeting of defense chiefs from across the Asia-Pacific, including China and the US. It comes ahead of the international peace conference on Ukraine slated to be held June 15-16 in Switzerland.

“With China’s support to Russia the war will last longer. That is bad for the whole world, and the policy of China – who declares that it supports territorial integrity and sovereignty and declares it officially. For them it is not good,” Zelensky said during a press conference.

China claims neutrality in the conflict and has said it is a proponent of peace, even as it has emerged as a key economic lifeline and tightened its already close strategic and diplomatic partnership with Russia since the country’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The US has also alleged that China’s export of dual-use goods to Russia is powering the warring country’s defense industrial base and warned Beijing of consequences for such support – a claim Beijing has refuted, saying it has not provided weapons to either side and maintains tight export controls on dual use goods.

Zelensky alluded to such support in comments Sunday, saying certain elements that make up parts of Russia’s weaponry “come from China.”

The Ukrainian leader also warned that Russia was attempting to pressure countries not to join the upcoming international peace summit – with China’s help.

“Russia is trying to disrupt the peace summit and that is true … (Russia) is now