Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has raised alarm over growing cooperation between Russia and China, particularly in the military-industrial sector. A report from Ukraine’s foreign intelligence agency highlights Moscow’s increasing dependence on Chinese investment, technology, and political support amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Speaking on social media, Zelenskyy noted that the intelligence report revealed closer collaboration between Beijing and Moscow, prompting him to instruct Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service to monitor these developments “more substantively” in relation to Ukraine and its Western allies’ security interests. “Global security must not be undermined because Russia’s appetite for aggression remains unabated,” he said.
The report also highlighted what Zelenskyy described as the “de-sovereignisation of parts of Russian territory” in favor of China. This trend includes Chinese access to resource-rich lands and the sale of critical natural resources, a development that underlines Beijing’s strategic leverage over Moscow.
Despite international pressure, China has maintained a stance of neutrality while increasing economic and military engagement with Russia. Last September, Chinese and Russian leaders outlined a vision for a new multilateral international order at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. In a meeting last month with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, President Xi Jinping pledged to deepen cooperation in industries including aerospace, energy, agriculture, and the digital economy, describing these enhanced ties as a “shared strategic choice.”
Zelenskyy’s warning coincides with ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Ukrainian officials are expected to present their latest peace proposals to US negotiators, amid concerns that a rapid settlement could favor Moscow. Zelenskyy is scheduled to discuss the negotiations with leaders from about 30 allied countries, including France and the United Kingdom, in what is being called the “coalition of the willing.”
Addressing speculation that the war could delay Ukrainian elections, Zelenskyy stated that the country could hold a vote within three months if security guarantees are provided and electoral laws adapted to wartime conditions. “To hold elections, two issues must be addressed: security during missile attacks and the legislative framework to ensure legitimacy,” he explained.
Meanwhile, hostilities continue across Ukraine. In Russian-held Kherson, three hospital staff were killed and two injured during Ukrainian shelling, according to local authorities. Southern Odesa faced drone strikes on its gas transport system, and heavy fighting persists in Pokrovsk in eastern Donbas, where Ukrainian forces report repelling a Russian mechanized assault.
The developments underscore the dual threats Ukraine faces: escalating military-industrial cooperation between Russia and China, and ongoing battlefield hostilities, both of which heighten the stakes for regional and global security.
