Zelenskiy’s comments in a newspaper interview came as China said that the United States was in no position to make demands, after a top US diplomat warned his Chinese counterpart at the weekend against China providing weapons to Russia in its war in Ukraine.

“For us, it is important that China does not support the Russian Federation in this war,” Zelenskiy told German daily Die Welt. “In fact, I would like it to be on our side. At the moment, however, I don’t think it’s possible.”

“But I do see an opportunity for China to make a pragmatic assessment of what is happening here,” he added. “Because if China allies itself with Russia, there will be a world war, and I do think that China is aware of that.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday warned top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi of consequences should China provide material support to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying in an interview after the two met that Washington was concerned Beijing was considering supplying weapons to Moscow.

After sparring over the shooting down of balloons over the United States, Wang has accused the United States of violating international norms with “hysterical” behaviour.

Wang suggested European countries “think calmly” about how to end the war and said Beijing would put forward “China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned visit by Wang to Moscow but gave no date for the trip.

“We don’t rule out a meeting between Mr Wang and the president (Putin),” Peskov told reporters. “The agenda is clear and very extensive, so there is lots to talk about.”

A diplomatic source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters earlier that Wang was expected in Moscow shortly and would discuss Chinese ideas for a political settlement of the Ukraine conflict as well as bilateral issues.

Wang, speaking in Budapest on Monday, said China was ready to work with Hungary and other countries to bring hostilities to an end.

Turning to Moldova, Zelenskiy told Die Welt that Ukraine had passed on to Moldovan President Maia Sandu intelligence suggesting that Russia was plotting a coup in Moldova.

“Maia Sandu never asked me for help, but she thanked me for the information. She knows our situation very well. Ukraine will always be ready to help Moldova,” he added.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia’s relations with Moldova were very tense and it accused Moldovan leaders of pursuing an anti-Russian agenda, one week after Chisinau said it had foiled a Russian coup attempt.

-Reuters