China is absorbing Russia, Budanov says at Davos

Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said that China is using Russia for its own purposes. He noted that cooperation between the two countries strengthened after Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022.

Budanov made the remarks during the discussion "The Path to Peace in Ukraine: By Force or Agreement?" at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, according to Novyny.LIVE correspondent Halyna Ostapovets reporting from the event.

Budanov on China-Russia cooperation

The head of the Office of the President explained that China has taken advantage of increased sanctions against Russia, as well as Russia’s critical need for modern electronic components.

"China understood how to leverage this situation, while Russia found a reliable partner for supplying electronics, then machinery, and eventually various materials used to produce weapon components," Budanov said.

He added that Russia has paid China more generously than other countries, allowing Beijing to profit significantly. As sanctions on Russia increased, China gradually expanded its influence over Moscow — a fact that, according to Budanov, Russia finds difficult to admit.

Despite the exchange of military technologies between the two countries, Budanov emphasized that China has not delivered any finished weapons to Russia.

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