Zelensky asks Trump to urge Xi to press Putin on ending Ukraine war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked US President Donald Trump to urge Chinese leader Xi Jinping to influence Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine or take de-escalation steps. Trump promised to convey the message during Xi's visit to the United States. Zelensky made the request during a briefing in New York, specifying that de-escalation could include halting strikes on energy infrastructure and grain supplies. He said such agreements would demonstrate whether Russia is genuinely ready to move toward ending the war. Xi began a three-day US visit on September 23, his first state visit in over a decade, with a full White House ceremony expected on September 24. Xi stated that China and the US should be "partners, not rivals."