‘President Xi Helped Me’: Trump Thanks China, Putin For Staying Neutral, Says Beijing Could’ve Sent Six Destroyers

Last Updated:June 18, 2026, 18:16 IST

Donald Trump at the G7 in France credited China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin for staying neutral during the US-Iran war, saying they made the ceasefire possible.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for remaining neutral during America’s war with Iran, saying both leaders had deliberately avoided actions that would have complicated Washington’s military campaign and subsequent peace efforts.

Trump made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, following the adoption of a ceasefire agreement.

“I want to thank China, President Xi. I was with him, and he stayed neutral, totally neutral, and I appreciate it," Trump told reporters. “And I want to thank Vladimir Putin, he was very neutral. They could have made it much more difficult for us."

Trump singled out Xi for particular credit, saying Beijing had stopped short of sending weapons or shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles to Tehran during the conflict.

“They could have sent in an oil ship with six destroyers alongside of it, on each side. They didn’t do that. President Xi helped me. He tried to help, and I think he probably helped get it solved," he said.

The remarks were a departure from Trump’s tone toward US allies. He has publicly criticised countries from Japan to Europe for not contributing to the military operation or to subsequent efforts to clear the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked.

Beijing and Moscow both have close ties with Tehran. China condemned Washington’s strikes on Iran as a violation of Iranian sovereignty, and US intelligence officials assessed that Beijing supplied Tehran with goods with potential military uses during the conflict, according to people familiar with the matter.

China’s independent oil refiners were also Iran’s main customers throughout the war, in defiance of US sanctions. Russia separately warned that the conflict risked triggering a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said Beijing’s position had been “consistent" and that it had been “working tirelessly for the end of fighting and peace." Russia’s embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

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Anoshito Banerjee

Anoshito Banerjee is a digital journalist at CNN-News18, specialising in Indian foreign policy, global diplomacy, South and West Asian geopolitics, and strategic affairs. His reporting spans hard news...Read More

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