Ukraine has intelligence that shows China is supplying weapons to Russia, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday as he announced significant progress towards a minerals deal with the United States.
“We believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on the territory of Russia,” he told reporters in Kyiv.
He did not specify whether he meant artillery systems or shells.
The allegation is likely to further strain relations between Kyiv and Beijing following the capture of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia. China has so far tried to maintain an outward perception of neutrality in the three-year war prompted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has previously called on China to use its influence over Russia to push it towards peace.
“We already have facts about this work by China and Russia to strengthen their defence capabilities,” Mr Zelensky said, voicing his dismay as he said Chinese president Xi Jinping had promised him Beijing would not sell or supply weapons to Moscow.
Meanwhile, he said Ukraine and the US were poised to sign a memorandum of intent on the minerals deal being negotiated by the two countries.
Donald Trump has pushed for a deal that would allow the US to have privileged access to Ukraine’s natural resources and critical minerals in what he casts as repayment for military aid provided by Washington to Ukraine under the previous presidency of Joe Biden.
The Ukrainian delegation travelled to Washington at the end of last week for negotiations after the Trump administration offered a new, more expansive deal. The initial framework agreement that was agreed to has never been signed.
“This is a memorandum of intent. And we have positive, constructive intentions,” Mr Zelensky said.
He added that the offer to sign the memorandum before the comprehensive deal, which would require ratification in the Ukrainian parliament, had come from the US side.
Ukraine’s economy minister has said Kyiv and Washington made significant progress while discussing the agreement.
Meanwhile, European and Ukrainian officials kicked off a day of talks in Paris to plead Kyiv’s case to US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Mr Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The diplomacy reflects Europe’s mounting concern over White House overtures towards Moscow, after the failure so far of Mr Trump’s efforts to arrange a ceasefire in the three-year-old Russia-Ukraine war.
Mr Trump, who has long said he aims to swiftly end the Ukraine war, has indicated he is frustrated with both Moscow and Kyiv, even as his administration has shifted rhetoric towards the Russian account of the conflict.
Ukraine agreed to a Trump proposal last month for a ceasefire, which Russia rejected. The sides have agreed only to curbs on attacks against energy targets and at sea, which both accuse each other of violating.
Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report.
