New Delhi – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused China of actively discouraging countries from attending an upcoming peace summit, a move Beijing has publicly criticized due to the exclusion of Russia.Zelenskyy made these statements at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security forum in Singapore, where he sought to garner support for the summit and appealed for increased military aid for Ukraine amid ongoing territorial losses to Russian forces.China, unfortunately, is working hard today to prevent countries from coming to the peace summit, Zelensky told reporters on the forums sidelines.Chinas stance on the Peace SummitBeijing insists the conference should include both Russia and Ukraine for balanced discussions. The conference should have the recognition of Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties, and fair discussion of all peace plans, stated Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. Otherwise, it is difficult for the conference to play a substantive role in restoring peace.Zelenskyy expressed disappointment that some global leaders had not committed to the summit. Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to attend, and US President Joe Biden has yet to confirm his participation. China has indicated its reluctance to attend if Russia is excluded, a condition Ukraine has firmly opposed.I addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue #SLD24 and stressed that the last few decades have seen diplomacy fail to achieve its tasks.Ukraine has found a way to restore the force of diplomacy.We propose peace through diplomacy: an inclusive and fair format, the Global Peace Summit. pic.twitter.com/ODUIBpjVe5— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 2, 2024Zelenskyy is rallying international support to end warKyiv aims to secure broad international support for its proposed terms to end Russias war. Zelenskyy announced that over 100 countries and organizations had signed up for the conference and urged Asia-Pacific nations to join.Will US President Biden abstainHowever, the summits success could be compromised if key supporters like President Biden abstain. Biden, engaged in an election campaign against Donald Trump, has not indicated any intention to attend.Zelenskyy accused China of acting as a tool in Putins hands and criticized Russia for leveraging Chinese influence to sabotage the peace summit. While China claims neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, it faces criticism for not condemning Russias actions.US support and military aidZelensky also met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Singapore forum. The Ukrainian leader described their meeting as very good and emphasized discussions on Ukraines defense needs, including air defense systems, the F-16 coalition, and a bilateral security agreement.Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder reiterated the USs unwavering support for Ukraine and commitment to maintaining strong international coalition support.This meeting followed a US decision to partially lift restrictions on Ukraine using American-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia, a move Zelenskyy hailed as a step forward.The US Congress recently approved a $61-billion aid package for Ukraine, unlocking crucial military resources.Moscows most significant Russian ground offensiveAmidst the summit preparations, Ukraine continues to face a robust Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv region, where Moscow has made its most significant territorial gains in 18 months.Zelenskyy, on a recent tour of European nations, has been actively seeking more military aid and cautioning allies against growing fatigued over the prolonged conflict. It is very important for Ukrainians that the world does not get tired... that the world understands that it cannot get tired of the war launched by the aggressor, he emphasized during his visit to Portugal.
