LOS ANGELES (OC).–Ukraine’s 47-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Chinese President Xi Jinping for not doing enough to pressure 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine War. “China certainly has the ability to make the Russians stop killing. But the world has seen no effort by China to apply that to Russia,” Zelensky said in Kiev. Zelensky easily forgets that Xi was among the first world leaders in 2023 to present a workable peace plan to end the war but Zelensky rejected the plan as pro-Russian. So, when it comes to Zelensky wanting Xi to do more, he only wants it on his terms. China, a close strategic, cultural and business partner of Moscow, has remained neutral in the war, largely because it sees both sides of the problem. When former President Joe Biden said the war was “unprovoked and unjustified,” Xi respectfully disagreed.
Xi saw the war in Ukraine as a direct result of U.S. meddling in Eastern Europe, encroaching on the Russian Fedeation, much the same way it does in the Indo Pacific where Biden tried to build a NATO-like coalition against Beijing. So, when it comes to Zelensky saying China doesn’t do enough to influence Russia, China has actually done more than most countries. When it comes to buying Russian oil that’s another story, the same as India where Russia is a major oil and natural gas supplier. Zelensky rejected Xi’s peace proposal because he said Ukraine must cede captured territory to the Kremlin, something won over three-and-a-half years of war. Zelensky’s idea of Beijing support is the rubber stamp his peace proposal that demands that Russian get out of Ukraine. Zelensky doesn’t like hearing anyone say that he must trade land-for-peace.
Zelensky abandoned the Trump peace plan that was withing 90% of getting a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky went to the European Union, complaining that Trump wanted to give away too much Ukrainian land, something Putin has seized in over three-and-a-half years of war. So, in Zelensky’s mind the only fair peace deal involves Putin ending the war and getting out of Ukraine. Well, Zelensky opted Feb. 24, 2022 to go to war with the Kremlin, losing some 25% of Ukraine’s best sovereign territory on the Black Sea coast. Now that Trump works feverishly to come up with a deal to end the war, he refuses to trade land-for-peace, the only premise on which Putin would end the war. So, with the EU backing Zelensky’s postion, the war rages on causing more carnage, more destruction and more lost sovereign territory. Trump asked Zelensky to compromise.
Why Zelensky thinks that Beijing should pressure Putin to end the war is anyone’s guess. Xi put his best peace plan forward and it was rejected by Zelensky, claiming it favored Russia. Zelensky said Putin “has done nothing” to end the war but Putin has tried to get Zelensky to put tother a peace delegation to work with Russia on settling the conflict. Putin didn’t agree to Zelensky’s plan to meet face-to-face with Putin to settle the conflict, when Zelensky shows no signs to compromising on land Russia controls in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Putin;s right hand man, said that a peace process must be orderly, methodical and behind closed doors. Russia has tried to get Zelensky to work with his peace delegation to start negotiating a final settlement. Trump recognizes the fact that Zelelensky is no friend of his, resisting his efforts as peace.
Zelensky thinks with all the history with China, Xi should risk his relationship by adopting Zelensky position on Ukrainian peace. “That does not stop China from welcoming Putin and discussing with him the most important thing, longevity,” Zelensky said, referring to a conversation had in Beijing about aging and immortality. –Zelensky criticized China for hosting Putin for a four-day state visit. If Zelensky had any prayer of China incluencing Putin, he just killed his chances with his public rebuke. Xi dossn’t like NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europen, encroaching on the Russian Federation. Zelensky for some unknown reason thinks he’s on the same level as Trump, Putin and Xi. He runs a bankrupt country that has has no clout on the world stage. Hanging out with EU leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron has gone to his head.
Zelensky has been his own worst enemy all through the peace process, essentially sabotaging Trump efforts with Putin because he doesn’t want to cede sovereign territory to Russia. Well, no one told Zelensky to go to war with the Kremlin Feb. 24, 2022. He’s battled Russia for the past three-and-a-half years, complaining all the way that he’s watch infrastructure and civilian dwelling destroy, tens-of-thousands of troops dead and lost priceless sovereign land. Trump told Zelensky Feb. 28 in the Oval Office to cut his losses, end the war and start the long, costly rebuilding process. Instead, Zelensky went to the EU to agree with him that he should not surrender any sovereign territory to the Kremlin. China can’t rescue Ukraine. Only Zelensky can rescue himself by listening to Trump, negotiating-and-compromising and finding a realistic way to end the war.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’ s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
