BREAKING: Xi Jinping Told Trump Putin May Regret Ukraine War, Report Claims

Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump during talks in Beijing last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin may eventually regret launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to a report by the Financial Times (FT) on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, which cited people familiar with the discussions.

The reported remark was made during broad-ranging conversations between the two leaders covering Ukraine, global security tensions, and wider geopolitical issues. The meeting took place during Trump’s visit to China and marked only the second encounter between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House.

According to the FT, Xi’s comment stood out as unusually personal compared to his previous public and private diplomatic language on the Ukraine war. One source familiar with earlier discussions between Xi and former US President Joe Biden said that while Beijing had previously engaged in “frank and direct” exchanges on Ukraine, Xi had avoided offering personal judgments about Putin or the conflict itself.

The report also noted that discussions between Trump and Xi included a controversial proposal from the US president suggesting that the United States, China, and Russia should cooperate in opposing the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that their strategic interests overlap. The White House declined to comment on both Xi’s alleged remarks and the ICC discussion.

The Trump administration has previously been critical of the ICC, accusing it of political bias, overreach, and undermining US sovereignty, with some officials describing its actions as a form of “lawfare” targeting American interests.

China, for its part, has maintained an official position of neutrality regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Western governments have repeatedly accused Beijing of indirectly supporting Moscow, including through the supply of dual-use goods that may have military applications.

Russia’s war in Ukraine, launched in February 2022, began shortly after Putin and Xi declared a “no-limits” partnership during a high-profile meeting in Beijing, raising concerns among Western powers about deepening strategic alignment between Moscow and Beijing.

Xi’s reported comments come at a sensitive diplomatic moment, as Putin is expected to travel to Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day state visit accompanied by senior ministers and business leaders. The Kremlin said discussions will focus on bilateral cooperation, energy partnerships, and broader global issues.

A key agenda item is expected to be the long-delayed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project, which Russia has been pushing to redirect energy exports toward China amid Western sanctions. However, analysts say Beijing holds significant leverage in negotiations due to Russia’s weakened economic position and reduced access to Western energy markets.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s war with Russia continues to shape global diplomatic dynamics. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that recent Ukrainian strikes have significantly damaged Russian oil infrastructure, reducing refining capacity and contributing to a widening budget deficit in Moscow.

Zelensky has also intensified criticism of Russia’s leadership, stating that “Putin is leading Russia toward bankruptcy,” while defending Ukrainian drone operations near Moscow as responses to intensified Russian attacks.