China expressed its support for U.S. President Donald Trump‘s initiative to negotiate a deal with Russia aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine during a G20 meeting in South Africa on Thursday. Meanwhile, U.S. allies rallied behind Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

In the early days of his presidency, Trump significantly altered U.S. policy regarding the war, abandoning a strategy to isolate Moscow following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and subsequent discussions between senior officials from both nations, which marginalized Ukraine’s position.

On Wednesday, Trump labeled Zelenskiy a “dictator,” which led to expressions of solidarity for the Ukrainian leader from G20 nations, including Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

According to a statement from his ministry, Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, conveyed to fellow G20 ministers in Johannesburg that “China supports all efforts conducive to peace in Ukraine, including the recent consensus reached between the United States and Russia.” He further stated that “China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in the political resolution of the crisis.”

Wang did not reiterate his previous assertion made at the Munich Security Conference that all parties involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict should be included in any peace negotiations. Analysts suggest that Beijing aims to secure its role in any agreement Trump pursues with the Kremlin to prevent a diplomatically isolated Russia from distancing itself from Chinese influence. Additionally, China’s relationship with Russia provides it with leverage in discussions with European officials concerned about being excluded from negotiations.

Ruby Osman, a China expert at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, noted, “By directly engaging with Putin, President Trump has diminished what Beijing hoped could be a significant initial advantage.” She added that “China may shift its focus to exploring its role in future reconstruction and peacekeeping efforts, which would enhance Beijing’s stake in the European security framework.”

The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it had consented to engage in further discussions with Russia regarding the resolution of the nearly three-year conflict, following a 4.5-hour meeting in Saudi Arabia.

Russia characterized the talks as productive but intensified its demands, particularly emphasizing its refusal to accept NATO’s potential membership offer to Ukraine.