‘I’m Waiting for Feedback’: Zelensky Says He Asked Trump to Press Xi on Putin
Zelensky said he was awaiting US feedback after asking Trump to enlist China’s help in pressuring Putin to end the war. He also outlined Ukraine’s preparations for winter, including efforts to secure more Patriot missiles and develop a European anti-ballistic defense system.
In brief: Zelensky said he was awaiting US feedback after asking Trump to enlist China’s help in pressuring Putin to end the war. He also outlined Ukraine’s preparations for winter, including efforts to secure more Patriot missiles and develop a European anti-ballistic defense system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was still awaiting US feedback after asking President Donald Trump to persuade Chinese leader Xi Jinping to use his influence over Russian President Vladimir Putin to help end the war.
Zelensky spoke on Friday, Sept. 25, a day after Trump and Xi met in Washington.
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“I raised this issue and personally asked President Trump to raise it,” Zelensky said in a WhatsApp exchange with journalists, including Kyiv Post.
He said he had asked Trump to do everything possible to persuade Xi to influence Putin .
“I have not yet received feedback from the American team,” he added.
Zelensky made the request during his meeting with Trump in New York, ahead of the US president’s Sept. 24 talks with Xi.
At a New York press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 22, Zelensky highlighted Beijing’s leverage over Moscow.
“If [Trump] also brings Xi on board, it could make a difference. Xi has influence over Putin,” he said.
Asked whether an end to the fighting before winter was realistic, Zelensky offered no prediction. Instead, he outlined Ukraine’s preparations for another season of possible Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure.
He said regional resilience plans must be completed and their implementation checked, while the government works to expand an air defense package for winter.
Securing missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot systems remains a particular challenge, Zelensky said. The Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Foreign Intelligence Service are working to obtain additional systems and missiles.
Kyiv is also pursuing FREYJA, a joint European program to develop an anti-ballistic defense system.
The project remains in development. Zelensky has previously said Ukraine and its partners are aiming for concrete results by late 2026 or early 2027 .
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