Diyar Guldogan
26 August 2026•Update: 26 August 2026
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Kyiv is counting on China to play a stronger diplomatic role in efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy made the comments after Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Ukraine on its Independence Day, which marked 35 years since the country declared independence from the Soviet Union.
“I thank Chinese leader Xi Jinping for his congratulations to Ukraine on our most important national holiday,” Zelenskyy said.
He described independence as an “unconditional value” for Ukrainians and other sovereign nations, adding that Kyiv valued its relations with Beijing, which he said had been built over 35 years on mutual respect and recognition of the values of both peoples.
“We count on further cooperation and on China playing a strong diplomatic role in bringing Russia’s war against our country to an end. Peace can be our shared achievement,” he added.
Zelenskyy’s appeal comes as Ukraine continues to seek greater international diplomatic pressure on Moscow and support for efforts to reach a lasting peace. China has maintained close ties with Russia.
