By John Q. Hosedrinker 
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized China’s inaction regarding the war in Ukraine, stating that China remains silent on the matter. He emphasized China’s significant influence, noting that Russia is highly dependent on China. Despite this dependence, Zelenskyy believes China could compel Moscow to end the invasion. He expressed disappointment in China’s silence, especially compared to the United States, which actively supports Ukraine’s defense and ceasefire efforts.
Read the original article here
Zelenskyy seems to understand the core reality: Putin’s Russia is, at its essence, a dependent state, and China holds the keys to its continued existence. The economic and political dependence on China is the defining characteristic of the modern Russian Federation. Without China’s backing, Russia’s military ambitions, its ability to wage war, and even its economic stability would crumble. It’s a stark assessment of Russia’s true position on the world stage.
The situation is far more complex than a simple alliance, it’s a matter of survival. Russia, once a perceived global power, is now fundamentally reliant on China, particularly for access to markets for its resources, like oil and gas. Without China’s willingness to buy these commodities, the Russian economy would be in freefall. This economic crutch allows Russia to continue its actions, but at a steep price: loss of independence and subservience to China’s strategic goals.
From Zelenskyy’s perspective, the fact that China could end the conflict tomorrow, simply by halting its support of Russia, is crucial. Their continued engagement suggests a deliberate policy to keep the conflict going, prolonging the suffering and leveraging Russia’s weakness to their advantage. The question is not merely about trade or political alignment. It is about China’s overall geopolitical strategy in a conflict-ridden world.
The underlying motive behind China’s strategy is strategic. A prolonged conflict benefits China in multiple ways. It keeps a competitor, Russia, weakened and dependent, occupying the attention of NATO and diverting resources from other strategic arenas, such as the Indo-Pacific. Essentially, China is strategically playing a long game, ensuring its interests are maintained.
The Russian military struggles on the ground, resorting to aerial bombardments, and China has been instrumental in keeping them in the game, so to speak. If the West were able to establish a defense shield of sorts, it would force the Russians to the negotiating table. Russia’s focus on aerial bombardments suggests the difficulty on the ground and the role of China’s support.
This dependency on China extends beyond simple economic factors. China’s continued support to Russia is very important for the regime. The support that China gives is very helpful for Russia’s economy by bringing income to its budget which can be used to fuel the war machine.
It’s clear that in this complex geopolitical landscape, Russia’s self-perceived status as a world power is a facade, a pretense maintained through nuclear weapons and historical status but hollow in substance. Russia has transformed into a country that is nothing without the support of China. Russia has no other major allies on the world stage and China is the only country that will make deals with Russia because it will benefit them both.