China’s Xi Discusses Ukraine Crisis With Putin as US Deadline Arrives

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Aug 9, 2025 - 10:04 Updated: Aug 9, 2025 - 01:21
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China’s Xi Discusses Ukraine Crisis With Putin as US Deadline Arrives
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Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping discussed the Ukraine crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call on Aug. 8, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.

The exchange came ahead of a potential meeting between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. It also coincided with a deadline set by Trump for the Kremlin to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.
During their call, Putin updated Xi on “the key outcomes” from his meeting with U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on Aug. 6, according to the readout released by the Kremlin. The two leaders also exchanged views on “a number of pressing matters of bilateral and international concern,” including Putin’s upcoming visit to Beijing, the Kremlin said.

According to Beijing’s summary of the call, Putin briefed Xi about Moscow’s perspective on the situation in Ukraine and the recent communication between Russia and the United States. The Russian leader also expressed a willingness to maintain close contact with the CCP.

Xi, in turn, outlined Beijing’s stance on Ukraine, referring to “complicated issues that have no simple solution,” according to the readout published on the foreign ministry’s website.

“The Chinese side is glad to see Russia and the United States maintain contact, improve their relations, and promote a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis,” the ministry quoted Xi as saying.

Trump said on Aug. 6 that there’s a “very good chance” of a summit that could lead to the end of the war in Ukraine.

“We had some very good talks with President Putin today, and there’s a very good chance that we could be ending [the war],” Trump said in the Oval Office in Washington, in response to a question about the chance of a meeting wth Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the near future.

On Aug. 7, the Kremlin said that Putin would meet with Trump “in the coming days.”
Witkoff has been in Moscow this week and met with Putin for three hours of talks on Aug. 6.

Trump had said he would implement “severe tariffs” on Russia if it did not make progress on peace talks with Ukraine by Aug. 9.

The sanctions threatened by the Trump administration could include secondary tariffs targeting countries—including China and India—that buy oil and gas from Russia.

Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 6 to impose 25 percent tariffs on India, citing the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil. The following day, he told reporters that a similar measure against Beijing “could happen.”

When asked about Trump’s threats at a regular briefing on Aug. 8, the Chinese foreign ministry indicated that the regime would continue its oil purchases from Russia.

“We will continue to take energy supply measures that are right for China based on our national interests,” Guo Jiakun, the ministry’s spokesperson, told reporters.

Beijing has become a key lifeline for Russia’s wartime economy. Bilateral trade between the two neighbors hit a new record of $244.8 billion in 2024, up slightly from the $240.1 billion reported in 2023, according to China’s customs data.

China has also been accused of supplying machine tools, chips, and other materials that have both civilian and military uses to help rebuild Russia’s defense sector.
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The two countries’ leaders have repeatedly reaffirmed their “no limit” partnership that they first declared on Feb. 4, 2022, less than three weeks before Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine.
Xi visited Moscow in May, and Putin is set to travel to China in the coming weeks to participate in events commemorating Victory Day in World War II, according to the Kremlin.
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Chris Summers contributed to this report. 
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