Zelensky: Ukraine never said that China is our enemy – it could help us

President Vodymyr Zelensky said this at a press conference in Switzerland, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We respect China and have always respected the territorial integrity and sovereignty of your state. All we wanted was for China to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and our sovereignty. We respect your pele, your values, your lives, and your choices, and we would like China to do the same, nothing more. I would like no less," Zelensky said.

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He stressed that "China is a very serious state, a serious economy that has pitical and economic influence on Russia." 

"I believe that China could help us. That is why I would very much like certain prosals that the Chinese side has to be in our dialogue," the President of Ukraine said. 

He also stressed that "Ukraine has never said that China is our enemy." 

"And I ask you not to use such things. I always say that Ukraine has only one enemy – Putin, because it was he who attacked us. As for friends, I believe that friends are those who help when it is difficult. And I would like China to be a friend of Ukraine. China and Ukraine have been serious economic partners. I say "were" not because economic relations were terminated, no, but because Putin blocked the Black Sea… And that is why he stped and reduced the trade turnover between our states," Zelensky said.

Read also: All Peace Summit participants supported Ukraine's territorial integrity – Zelensky

As reported, the first Peace Summit is taking place in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock on June 15-16. It discusses nuclear security, food security, and the humanitarian dimension – the exchange of prisoners and the return of abducted Ukrainian children. The results of the summit will be handed over to Russia.

China did not participate in the Global Peace Summit. Reuters, citing ten unnamed diplomats, reported that China had been lobbying for its "peace plan" among other governments.