On October 24, political analyst Ihor Chalenko discussed the upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled for October 30 in Busan, South Korea, during the APEC summit. This will be their first encounter since Trump's return to the White House and could significantly impact the global situation, particularly the war in Ukraine.
After Russia and Vladimir Putin declined to engage in real negotiations to end the war, the US-China summit is viewed as a potential turning point for Moscow’s position. Trump has stated his desire for peace in Ukraine and believes China can influence Russia, as China is the main buyer of Russian energy resources and can affect war funding.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out that Trump might leverage China's economic clout to force Moscow to negotiate. US sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft have already hurt Russia’s economy, causing market instability.
However, China, despite officially declaring neutrality, continues to supply Russia with components for drones, electronics, and jet engines, supporting its military capacity. Real Chinese pressure is likely only in exchange for significant US concessions, such as reducing tariffs, easing sanctions, or compromising on Taiwan.
The ongoing US-China trade war involves tariffs, export restrictions, and countermeasures that affect the global economy, raise prices, and heighten market tensions, especially in technology and energy sectors.
Other discussion topics include Taiwan’s future, narcotics control, energy exports, and cryptocurrencies. Both sides hold powerful leverage through control over markets and supply chains.
This summit is critically important for Ukraine—it could either reduce Chinese support for Moscow or escalate trade confrontation, financially benefiting Russia. Ukraine remains at the center of these global geopolitical negotiations.
The analyst encourages Ukrainians to support the country’s defense and actively participate in the discussion of these events.
