KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios on HBO that he does not see China as a major geopolitical threat – an attitude that could cause him friction with the Biden government and Congress, even though he has promised to Chinese control over technological sectors.
Why it matters: Zelensky’s comments represent a rift with US national security leaders from both major political parties trying to rally allies to confront the Chinese Communist Party’s threat.
Send the news: Asked about emerging consensus in Washington that China is the biggest geopolitical threat, Zelensky said: “I can not agree with that, because in Ukraine we do not feel it.”
- “There really is a kind of cold war between China and the United States,” he said.
- “We know that US affairs are represented in Ukraine, but at the same time it is true that Chinese affairs are also represented.”
- “I believe that regardless of the country, the nationality, as people, as businesses, as a certain country, you can treat them with respect, with respect for your people and borders, they can be in your country.”
Between the lines: There is just as much leverage the US has to push Zelensky out of China. Beijing crushed Washington during the vaccination of diplomacy – a painful reality that Zelensky discussed in the Axios on HBO interview.
- Zelensky tried to obtain higher quality American vaccines for his country. And he pushed the Europeans for their help. But given the problems he faces with dosages, he said he was willing to work with Beijing to get large quantities of safe COVID vaccine for the Ukrainian people.
- Note: The US did not offer its superior vaccines to Ukraine and actually took steps to make it harder for Zelensky to get them.
Behind the scenes: Dealing with China is a growing pain in US-Ukraine relations. Trump administration officials have expressed concern that China – which became Ukraine’s leading trading partner in 2019 – is flooding Ukraine with easy cash and, in return, investing in Ukraine’s critical sectors including defense and telecommunications.
- U.S. officials are concerned that China is stealing intelligence secrets and exerting a vicious influence on allies who are increasingly looking to Beijing.
Yes, but: Senior US government officials have been trying for years to persuade Ukraine to stop China from buying Motor Sich, a manufacturer of aero engines that is the crown jewel of Ukraine’s defense sector.
- In the interview, Zelensky definitively said for the first time that he would not allow China or any other country to buy a controlling stake in Motor Sich.
- “Never,” he said. “Not under me. I’m not here for life … [But] in my time [in office], definitely not.
The conclusion: Russia is a much more threatening concern for Ukraine. But when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, China never condemned Russia’s actions. Although Zelensky may not mention China as a threat, he knows that China cannot be relied upon in a Russia-Ukraine crisis.