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Zelensky says China working hard to 'prevent' countries from attending peace summit
"China, unfortunately, is working hard today to prevent countries from coming to the peace summit," Zelensky told reporters on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore.
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on June 2, 2024. (AFP/Nhac Nguyen)
U
krainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday China was working hard to stop countries from going to a peace summit, which Beijing has publicly criticised because Russia is not invited.
"China, unfortunately, is working hard today to prevent countries from coming to the peace summit," Zelensky told reporters on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore.
Earlier, Zelensky expressed disappointment that "some world leaders" had not signed up to a peace summit, after China signalled Xi Jinping would not attend and with Joe Biden yet to commit.
Ukraine is also trying to whip up attendance at the peace meeting in Switzerland this month where it hopes to win broad international backing for its vision of the terms needed to end Russia's war.
Zelensky said more than 100 countries and organisations had signed up to the conference, and he urged Asia-Pacific nations to join.
"We are disappointed that some world leaders have not yet confirmed their participation in the peace summit," Zelensky said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, without mentioning China or the United States by name.
The peace summit threatens to be overshadowed if key Ukraine backer Biden -- who is locked in campaigning against Donald Trump and has given no sign he would participate -- ultimately stays away.
China also said Friday it would be "difficult" to participate in the conference if Russia did not participate.
Beijing believes the conference "should have the recognition of Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace plans", foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news conference.
"Otherwise, it is difficult for the conference to play a substantive role in restoring peace," she said.
Also on Sunday, Zelensky said that he was grateful to the United States for allowing Kyiv to use US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in the Kharkiv region, but added that it was not enough.
Ukraine is weathering a renewed assault from Russian forces, more than two years after the invasion began.
