Trump Praises Xi and Putin for Staying Out of Iran War — but the Full Picture Is More Complex

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A Thank You That Raised Eyebrows

At a press conference on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, President Donald Trump offered an unexpected expression of gratitude — not to America's traditional allies, but to the leaders of China and Russia.

"I want to thank China, President Xi. He stayed neutral, totally neutral, and I appreciate it," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. He extended the same praise to Vladimir Putin: "He was very neutral. They could have made it much more difficult for us."

The remarks came shortly after the announcement of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the roughly 15-week-long conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The formal signing of the deal is expected to take place on Friday at Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

What "Neutral" Actually Looked Like

Trump's praise stands in sharp contrast to the documented behavior of both countries during the conflict.

China's government publicly condemned the U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran from the very first day. Beijing called the attacks a "grave violation of Iran's sovereignty" and a breach of international law, according to statements from China's Foreign Ministry. Throughout the conflict, China's independent oil refiners — the so-called "teapot refineries" — remained Iran's primary oil customers, openly defying U.S. sanctions. In May 2026, Beijing went even further, formally instructing Chinese companies to ignore American sanctions on Iranian oil, a move analysts described as unprecedented and a direct act of defiance against Washington.

Russia, for its part, maintained close ties with Tehran and warned early in the conflict that military escalation could trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

Despite all this, Trump credited Xi with restraint — specifically for not dispatching warships to escort Iranian oil tankers through the blockade, and for refraining from supplying advanced weaponry. "They could have sent in an oil ship with six destroyers alongside of it," Trump said. "They didn't do that."

Allies Left Feeling Ignored

The tone of Trump's press conference was notable for another reason: while he praised Beijing and Moscow, he has repeatedly clashed with traditional U.S. allies over the Iran conflict.

Japan, Germany, and other G7 partners have faced criticism from Trump for not contributing militarily to the operation or to subsequent efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — the critical maritime passage that Iran had blocked. The strait is a conduit for roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil during normal times.

G7 leaders, meanwhile, expressed formal support for Trump's Iran agreement at the summit — even as several voiced private reservations about the lack of detail on how its terms would be implemented.

The Deal: What We Know

The core of the agreement, which Trump has taken to calling the "Trump deal," centers on two commitments: Iran pledges never to develop a nuclear weapon, and the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened to international shipping.

Trump has warned that the U.S. military option remains on the table if Iran fails to honor its commitments. "If they don't honor that, we'll probably go back to bombing them until they honor it," he said.

Technical talks between U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to continue over the next 60 days to finalize implementation details. Israel, a key U.S. ally in the conflict, has expressed unease about the terms — and has yet to formally endorse the agreement.

A Calculated Diplomatic Signal?

Analysts are likely to debate what Trump's public praise of Xi and Putin actually signals. One interpretation: by acknowledging their restraint, Trump is rewarding a degree of non-intervention that helped prevent the conflict from spiraling into a broader regional or global confrontation.

Another view is that Trump is applying his signature deal-making logic — keeping powerful actors on-side by offering them public credit, regardless of what they did or did not do behind the scenes.

Neither the Chinese nor the Russian embassy in Washington responded to requests for comment.

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Sources:

1. Reuters – Trump thanks China's Xi, Russia's Putin for being 'neutral' in Iran war (June 17, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-thanks-chinas-xi-russias-putin-being-neutral-iran-war-2026-06-17/
2. Associated Press / ABC News – G7 leaders back Trump's plan to end Iran war (June 17, 2026): https://abc13.com/post/g7-leaders-back-trumps-plan-end-iran-war-faces-skepticism-home/19314933/
3. USA Today – China condemns Iran strikes, urges Gulf to oppose foreign influence (March 2026): https://www.aol.com/articles/china-condemns-iran-strikes-urges-182945418.html
4. Newsweek – China fights back against US Iran oil sanctions (May 2026): https://www.newsweek.com/china-fights-back-against-us-iran-oil-sanctions-11909625
5. NBC News – Live updates: Trump, G7 leaders praise Iran deal (June 17, 2026): https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/live-updates-trump-g7-summit-iran-deal-russia-ukraine-war-iran-israel-rcna350404

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