Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump during talks in Beijing last week that Russian leader Vladimir Putin may ultimately regret launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to Tuesday’s Financial Times (FT) report, citing people familiar with the discussions, Xi made the remark during wide-ranging conversations that included Ukraine and broader geopolitical issues.
The talks took place during Trump’s visit to China – only the second meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House.
The FT report also contrasts Xi’s tone in previous engagements. One person familiar with his earlier discussions with former US President Joe Biden said that while talks on Ukraine had been “frank and direct,” Xi had stopped short of offering personal assessments of Putin or the war.
Sources cited by the FT said the discussion also included a controversial proposal from Trump that the US, China, and Russia should cooperate against the International Criminal Court (ICC), suggesting their interests were aligned.
While the White House declined to comment on both Xi’s remarks and the ICC discussion, the Trump administration has previously criticized the court, accusing it of political bias, overreach, and infringing on US sovereignty. Some US officials have described the ICC as a tool of “lawfare” against American interests.
China has officially maintained a neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, though Western governments have repeatedly accused Beijing of supporting Moscow indirectly, including through the supply of dual-use goods.
The war, launched by Russia in February 2022, began shortly after Putin and Xi declared a “no-limits” partnership during a high-profile meeting in Beijing.
Xi’s reported statement comes as Putin is heading to Beijing on Tuesday, for a two-day visit with ministers, officials and business leaders.
The Kremlin said Putin’s delegation includes senior ministers and top executives, with talks in Beijing set to focus on bilateral ties, energy, and global issues.
A key priority for Putin will be gauging China’s position after Xi’s meeting with Trump. While the summit yielded no major breakthroughs, it underscored efforts to manage tensions over trade, Taiwan, and Iran.
For Moscow, the concern is whether Beijing’s push for stable ties with the West could come at Russia’s expense, even as China continues balancing relations with both Washington and Moscow.
Energy will be central. Putin is expected to push forward the long-stalled Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, aimed at redirecting gas exports to China. But Beijing holds the upper hand, able to demand lower prices as Russia faces sanctions, shrinking Western markets, and pressure on energy revenues.
Putin will also seek to maintain trade and technology flows that have helped cushion sanctions. China has become Russia’s top trading partner since the full-scale invasion, supplying goods that can support its defense industry.
The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty, offering a platform to project a stable strategic partnership. Both sides describe ties as “privileged,” with Putin saying they support each other on sovereignty issues.
Meanwhile, Moscow faces growing strain from Ukrainian strikes on its energy sector.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said recent attacks have cut Russian oil refining by 10% and forced some companies to shut wells, adding that Russia’s budget deficit has already exceeded annual plans.
“Putin is leading Russia toward bankruptcy,” he added.
Zelensky also described recent Ukrainian drone strikes near Moscow as “entirely justified” following a record Russian aerial assault on Kyiv.
The Russian strikes followed a brief three-day ceasefire reportedly brokered by Trump, which allowed Russia to hold its annual Victory Day parade without the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks.