President Trump states that Xi Jinping could have a significant influence on Putin for resolving the conflict in Ukraine

American President Donald Trump stated that Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, could exert considerable influence over his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in order to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. This statement was made a week before the planned meeting between the two leaders, which will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea. Trump emphasized that the discussions will include topics related to Russia and Ukraine. He also expressed optimism regarding the conclusion of a trade agreement with China, minimizing the impact of the restrictions imposed by Beijing on rare earth exports. This will be the first meeting between Trump and Xi since his return to the White House in January. Trade tensions between the US and China have recently increased, following China's announcement to tighten controls on the export of essential resources.