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Ukrainian leader says Kremlin forces include 155 mercenaries from China as Moscow ‘systematically’ recruits citizens
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President Trump has pledged that US officials will look into evidence that Chinese mercenaries are fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine.
Asked whether he could verify the claims by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and if so, what he would do about it, Mr Trump told his cabinet: “We’ll look into it. But I think beyond that, we’re really looking to get that war stopped.”
The Ukrainian president has accused Russia of systematically recruiting Chinese citizens to fight against his country, claiming 155 are fighting in Ukraine.
He said on Telegram: “It is obvious that these are not isolated cases, but systemic Russian work… to recruit [Chinese] citizens of this state for war.”
Mr Zelensky shared a new video revealing part of the interrogation of two captured Chinese soldiers.
Beijing has dubbed the claims “baseless” and Moscow denies dragging China into the conflict.
Ukraine’s leader had questioned the lack of interest from the US over the revelation.
“I do not understand why America is not reacting forcefully towards Russia. There is nothing in terms of diplomacy or statements,” he said.
Elsewhere, UK defence secretary John Healey is hosting defence ministers from around 30 countries at Nato headquarters in Brussels. They are seeking to flesh out an agreement on sending troops to police any peace deal.
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said he is “not convinced yet” that the Chinese personnel identified as fighting on behalf of Russia against Ukraine are more than mercenaries or volunteers.
“There’s an axiom in the military, the first report is always wrong,” Kellogg said during an appearance yesterday at Georgetown University.
“And this is one of those let’s sit back and see how this plays out, because it could be volunteers,” he said.
Mr Kellogg noted that Ukraine also has volunteers from other countries, including the United States, fighting on its behalf.
He added that the early reports of Chinese personnel are not on par with North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to the frontlines.
The Chinese prisoner has a fearful expression as his Ukrainian captors train a video camera on him. He speaks in Mandarin, the common language of his homeland. His green uniform is like any regular soldier’s. But is it proof that China is fighting alongside the Russian army?
This is a hybrid war and while China has not disputed the facts, the boundaries of truth are cloaked in deniability. The incident – astutely publicised by Ukraine just as America is in a trade showdown with China – has illuminated the shadows of a very modern conflict.
Michael Sheridan writes:
President Trump says his government will look into claims by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that Chinese mercenaries are fighting alongside Russian forces against his country.
Mr Trump told members of his cabinet: “The Ukrainians say they have evidence that Chinese soldiers being found twice before the Russians in Ukraine – can you verify this?”
“And if so, what does the US plan on doing to identify… we’ll look into it. But I think beyond that, we’re really looking to get that war stopped.”
Russia has released a dual citizen who was jailed for donating to a charity providing aid to Ukraine in exchange for a German-Russian citizen accused of exporting US electronics for use in Moscow’s military.
Ksenia Karelina, who was found guilty of treason by a Russian court last year for donating money to a US charity providing humanitarian support, is on her way to the US.
Mr Karelina’s lawyer said she was released in a swap with Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen arrested in 2023 in Cyprus for exporting sensitive microelectronics.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the news.
Central Intelligence Agency director John Ratcliffe said: “Today, President Trump brought home another wrongfully detained American from Russia. I’m proud of the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort, and we appreciate the Government of UAE for enabling the exchange.”
During his third day of a state visit to Italy, King Charles hailed Rome’s steadfastness in supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.
The state visit has been seen as part of an ongoing effort by London to strengthen ties with its European allies amid global turbulence and rising instability.
“Our countries have both stood by Ukraine in her hour of need and welcomed many thousands of Ukrainians requiring shelter,” he told Italian parliamentarians, warning that images of wars were now reverberating again across the continent.
Charles added that Italian and British armed forces “stand side by side” as part of the Nato alliance, noting the two countries’ joint plans to develop with Japan a new fighter jet.
“It will generate thousands of jobs in our countries and speaks volumes about the trust we place in each other,” he said.
The US and Ukraine will begin technical consultations on a minerals deal in Washington on Friday, deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna said according to Interfax Ukraine.
They will discuss a new draft agreement from the US, which is more extensive than the one which fell through following Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump’s White House clash on 28 February.
“The new draft agreement from the U.S. shows that the intention to create a fund or jointly invest remains,” Svyrydenko said Saturday, during a trip to northern Ukraine.
The delegation from Kyiv will include representatives from the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Justice and Finance, who will hope to bolster the strained relations between Ukraine and the US amid long-running negotiations over a mineral deal.
Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian troops are active inside Russia’s Belgorod region, as Kyiv seeks to protect towns near the border.
The Ukrainian president described the move as “absolutely justified” as Ukraine looks to stave off Russian advances, as Moscow delays ceasefire negotiations in an apparent effort to seize more land.
After Ukraine’s foothold in Russia’s Kursk region collapsed in dramatic fashion – despite Ukrainian troops remaining in small pockets of the area – Kyiv may be searching to rebuild the leverage it had hoped to keep for any future ceasefire negotiations.
In his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, had presented a report “on the front line, our presence in the Kursk region and our presence in the Belgorod region.”
Read the full report:
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of systematically recruiting Chinese fighters to join Russian forces in Ukraine.
It comes days after Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese men fighting in the Donetsk region, with the Ukrainian president alleging that there are more than 150 Chinese citizens fighting for Russia.
“It is obvious that these are not isolated cases, but systemic Russian work, in particular, on the territory and in the jurisdiction of China, to recruit citizens of this state for war,” Mr Zelensky said in a statement on social media.
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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump pledges to look into Zelensky claims of Putin plot to recruit Chinese fighters – The Independent
