China Rejects Zelenskyy’s Claims of Supplying Arms to Russia, Calls Accusations “Groundless Political Manipulation”

China, Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, military weapons, geopolitical tensions, Ukraine war, US arms supply, ceasefire, peace talks, dual-use exports, political manipulation

Beijing [China], April 18 — China on Friday strongly denied allegations made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who accused Beijing of supplying weapons and gunpowder to Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded by reaffirming its neutral position and rejected the claims as “groundless accusations and political manipulation.”

During a routine press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed the allegations directly: “China’s position on the Ukraine issue remains consistent and clear. We have actively worked toward promoting a ceasefire and peace talks. We have never provided lethal weapons to any party in the conflict and strictly control exports of dual-use items.”

China also turned the spotlight on Western countries, particularly the United States, highlighting their alleged role in arming Russia. “Ukraine knows this clearly and has publicly stated that most of Russia’s imported military components came from the US and other Western countries,” Lin added.

Zelenskyy had earlier posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Chinese nationals were found among captured Russian soldiers in Donetsk, asserting this pointed to “systematic Russian efforts” to recruit Chinese citizens for its war machine. He also claimed that such recruitment might be happening within China’s jurisdiction.

“It is crystal clear these are not isolated cases,” Zelenskyy said. “Everything necessary must be done to ensure that Russia has no such opportunities to prolong and expand the war.”

China has repeatedly positioned itself as a neutral actor in the Ukraine conflict, calling for dialogue and de-escalation while opposing what it views as politically motivated rhetoric from other nations.

As diplomatic tensions rise, the war of words between Kyiv and Beijing underscores the increasingly complex global stakes surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.