Ukraine's Zelenskyy accuses China of helping Russia to disrupt upcoming peace summit

• The peace talks, which focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict which started in February 2022, are due to take place at the Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland on June 15-16.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, said that Russia is using Chinese influence in Asia to disrupt the summit.
• The Chinese Foreign Ministry has previously indicated that it will not attend the peace conference because it does not meet its expectations.
• Moscow, meanwhile, has not been invited, and has dismissed the conference.

SINGAPORE — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday accused China of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming peace summit by pressuring other countries not to attend.

The peace talks, which focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict which started in February 2022, are due to take place at the Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland on June 15-16.

Zelenskyy, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, said that Russia is using Chinese influence in Asia to disrupt the summit.

"Unfortunately, regrettably, Russia, using Chinese influence on the region, using Chinese diplomats, does everything to disrupt the peace summit," he said, according to a translation of his remarks, without giving specific examples.

"Regrettably, it is unfortunate that such a big, independent, powerful country as China is an instrument in [the] hands of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," he added. CNBC has reached out to the Chinese embassy in Singapore for comment.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has previously indicated that it will not attend the peace conference because it does not meet its expectations. Moscow, meanwhile, has not been invited has dismissed the conference.

Zelenskyy also accused Russia