In an interview published on September 18, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered sharp criticism of China's political stance in the context of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. According to him, Beijing does not take a neutral position but rather is "a little more on the side of Russia." Zelensky emphasized that the issue is not so much about weapons supplies as about political will: "It's a pity that China is not on our side in this war, politically, even if it's not about weapons. It's about political will, and that's a pity, because strong leaders, including China, could start and immediately stop this war."
Political Pressure on Beijing: What Kyiv Expects from China
The Ukrainian leader noted that China has sufficient influence to play a more active role in ending the hostilities. In Zelensky's assessment, the lack of political support from Beijing deprives Kyiv of an important lever of pressure on Moscow. At the same time, he acknowledged that he had not observed the use of Chinese missiles during the conflict, but noted the presence of Chinese components in the missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles used on the front line. In his words, this aspect further confirms that the PRC's formal neutrality does not correspond to the real situation.
The North Korean Factor: Risks for East Asia
A separate part of Zelensky's statement was devoted to military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. The Ukrainian president stated that Pyongyang has sent tens of thousands of military personnel to the combat zone. According to his data, Russia has effectively allowed North Korean troops to gain combat experience "without heavy losses," creating long-term risks for the security of the entire East Asian region. "This is a big problem, because for North Korea sending people did not require great costs, and they are starting to master modern methods of conducting war, which they could apply already today," Zelensky emphasized. According to the publication Gazeta.ua, the Kremlin, in the words of the Ukrainian president, is negotiating the recruitment of another 30,000 North Korean military personnel, which could significantly shift the balance of power on certain sections of the front.
Defense Cooperation with Japan and Negotiations with the United States
Against the backdrop of his criticism of China, Zelensky expressed interest in deepening defense cooperation with Japan. In particular, this refers to joint work in the fields of cybersecurity and unmanned technologies — areas that Kyiv considers priorities for modernizing its own armed forces. In addition, the Ukrainian president reported that Kyiv is preparing negotiations with US representatives, which, in his words, should strengthen Ukraine's position in the confrontation with Russia. These steps indicate Kyiv's attempt to diversify its defense and diplomatic ties against the backdrop of what he characterizes as Beijing's passivity.
Contradictory Data
In Zelensky's statements and in publications by Ukrainian media, there are certain discrepancies in quantitative assessments. In the interview, the Ukrainian president used the phrasing "tens of thousands" of North Korean military personnel already present in the combat zone. Meanwhile, the publication Gazeta.ua, citing the same words of Zelensky, specifies that this refers to preparations to recruit another 30,000 military personnel from North Korea. The exact total number of North Korean fighters involved in the conflict is not disclosed in public statements. In addition, the assessment that Russia allowed North Korea to gain combat experience "without heavy losses" is a subjective characterization by the Ukrainian president and has not been confirmed by independent international observers or UN data. The question of the presence of Chinese components in weapons also remains a subject of debate: Zelensky points to their presence, but does not provide specific examples or serial numbers, which makes verification of this claim difficult.
