In a recent development from Kyiv, the Ukrainian military has taken two Chinese nationals into custody who were fighting alongside Russian forces in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed on Tuesday. He further mentioned that intelligence points to a larger number of Chinese individuals joining the Russian military ranks. Currently, China has not issued any response to these findings. While China, historically, has not been reported to deliver weapons or military aid to Russia, it remains uncertain whether these individuals acted autonomously in joining the conflict. Both Ukraine and Russia permit foreign enlistment in their militaries.
Zelenskyy has instructed his chief diplomat to urgently reach out to Beijing concerning this matter. He asserted that should China be found aiding Russia militarily, it would follow Iran and North Korea, which have provided drones and troops respectively, in potentially escalating support, as noted by officials from the U.S. and South Korea. Despite these developments, China has been a significant diplomatic supporter of Russia since the onset of the conflict in February 2022 and has facilitated economic ties through trade in energy and consumer goods.
The incident involving Chinese soldiers reportedly took place in the Donetsk villages of Tarasivka and Bilohorivka, where a clash led to the capture of two Chinese combatants among six who were encountered during a skirmish with Ukrainian forces. In response, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, communicated with China’s chargé d’affaires to seek clarification. On social media, he expressed that Chinese participation in Russia’s military actions contradicts Beijing’s proclaimed commitment to peace and undermines its standing as a responsible U.N. Security Council member.
Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions linger as Russia dismissed a U.S. proposal suggesting a complete 30-day ceasefire, and there appears to be readiness on both sides for an escalated spring-summer offensive. Nico Lange, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, highlighted a lack of signs pointing towards a ceasefire, suggesting instead a continuation of hostilities.
At a press briefing in Kyiv, Zelenskyy was joined by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who announced a 1 billion euro ($1 billion) assistance package for Ukraine. Their discussions included potential collaborations in military manufacturing and possible Belgian private investments in Ukraine’s defense industry.
In a parallel development, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov disclosed that Russian Foreign Ministry delegates are set to engage in discussions with the U.S. in Istanbul, scheduled for Thursday. While details of the agenda remain unspecified, the talks likely focus on normalizing diplomatic relations and enhancing embassy operations, given each nation has significantly reduced diplomatic staffing.