SUMMARY

• Finance Minister Marchenko hints at using China as leverage to halt Russian invasion.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Chinese President Xi Jinping have their first conversation since the conflict started.
• China's recent decision to send special representatives to Ukraine sparks curiosity among analysts.

Ukraine's finance minister dropped some hints on Friday that Kyiv might turn to their connection with China to help bring an end to Russia's invasion. Just a short while ago, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Chinese President Xi Jinping finally got to chat, marking their first conversation since the conflict began last February.

Ukraine's Finance Minister Marchenko caught up with CNBC's Silvia Amaro in Stockholm, Sweden, and shared some thoughts. He said they know how crucial China is, and it's essential to keep building their own relationship with the superpower so it won't fully back Russia.

While China isn't Ukraine's BFF in the search for peace, Marchenko mentioned the US, the G7, and other partners as their main supporters. However, he insisted that Kyiv should leverage China to win the war and put an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine.

Recently, China declared its intention to send special reps to Ukraine and chat with all sides involved, hoping to put an end to the conflict. This move comes after months of hesitation to engage with Kyiv on the same level as Moscow. Both presidents spoke about focusing on peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, and Zelenskyy expressed on Twitter that this conversation could be a game-changer for their bilateral relations.

Many eyebrows have been raised about the timing of the call and China's decision to send emissaries to Ukraine, especially as Ukraine is believed to be gearing up for a massive counteroffensive against Russian forces to reclaim territory in the east and south.

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