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Ukraine war
ChinaDiplomacy

Why China could capitalise on Trump-Zelensky showdown as rift emerges in the West

Beijing sees heated talks between US and Ukraine as a ‘systemic reordering’ of geopolitics, according to analysts

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Friday’s meeting between US President Donald Trump (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) at the White House signals a major shift in Washington’s position on the Ukraine war, according to analysts. Photo: Ukrainian Presidency/dpa
Kawala Xie

China sees the fallout from last week’s heated talks between the US and Ukraine as a “systemic reordering” of geopolitics, with a rift emerging within the West, according to analysts.

US President Donald Trump’s showdown with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday has signalled a major shift in Washington’s position on the Ukraine war that is testing the long-standing transatlantic alliance.
European leaders flocked to Washington last week as they tried to secure American support for Ukraine amid a rapprochement between the US and Russia. The two countries agreed last week to take steps to normalise ties after three years of hostility.
But European efforts have been viewed as largely futile since Trump’s verbal attacks on Zelensky last week when the pair failed to reach an agreement to give the US access to Ukraine’s critical minerals in exchange for Washington’s security guarantee.

Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa, a geopolitics analyst on EU-Asia Relations at the University of Hong Kong, said China would pursue involvement in Ukraine talks not as a “selfless broker” but as a “strategic player”, as Beijing was positioned to capitalise on the “rapid disintegration of the West” that legitimises “Beijing’s vision for a post-American world order”.

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Zelensky says Ukraine ready to sign US minerals deal after clash with Trump

Zelensky says Ukraine ready to sign US minerals deal after clash with Trump

“China is in Netflix mood: with popcorn and premium subscription, all other plans cancelled, breathlessly awaiting the next instalment of this geopolitical tragicomedy … where America stars as both protagonist and wrecking ball of its own liberal order,” he said.

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