European FOMO while Trump-XI summit wraps in Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on September 24, the leaders' second face-to-face meeting of the year. The war in Ukraine was among several topics discussed during their three-hour private session, alongside trade, artificial intelligence, the U.S. conflict in Iran, and Taiwan.

The Chinese government provided an official summary of the event, stating that both heads of state exchanged views on major international and regional issues, including the Middle East situation, Ukraine crisis, and Korean Peninsula. Neither Trump nor Xi disclosed details of their conversation on Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had hoped Trump would encourage Xi to intervene with Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate a resolution to the conflict. After his own meeting with Trump, Zelensky emphasized that engaging Xi could provide leverage to persuade Putin.

China has become a crucial trading partner and economic supporter for Russia amidst Western sanctions imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While China maintains official neutrality in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it remains one of the top suppliers of dual-use goods used in Russian military equipment. Ukraine has accused China of directly supplying arms to Russia, a claim Beijing has denied. Recent reports indicate that over 200 Russian military personnel have received secret training in China.

The two nations also discussed Taiwan, with Chinese President Xi stating that China expects the U.S. to uphold its stance against "Taiwan independence" and approach the Taiwan issue with caution. Experts have cautioned that China closely monitors Russia's actions in Ukraine to inform potential strategies for a future invasion of Taiwan, a self-governing democratic island China considers part of its territory.

China has escalated military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, and leaked documents suggest Russia has been assisting China in preparing for a possible invasion, including providing arms and training Chinese airborne troops. Despite lacking formal diplomatic relations, Taiwan has expressed support for Ukraine's sovereignty and provided humanitarian aid, as well as backing international sanctions against Russia.