The current occupant of the White House has established a reputation for being a master at exerting maximum pressure on others so that they dance to his tune. Such a song-and-dance show is now being played out with regard to the Ukraine talks, as high-ranking members of his administration have continued to threaten a US withdrawal from the talks this week.

On Wednesday, the US leader again lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of jeopardizing peace talks with Russia after the Ukrainian leader said Kyiv would never recognize Russia's occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

The remarks from the White House echo previous media reports that the US was offering its recognition of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea as part of a peace plan, which was separately delivered to Ukrainian and Russian officials after last week's talks in Paris. The US recognition would mark a major policy shift.

Zelensky has long said Crimea is a red line, but the US leader was not inclined to indulge him: In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, the US leader rejected Zelensky's red line on Crimea being excluded from negotiations with Russia, saying the territory was "lost years ago" and "is not even a point of discussion".

Upping the ante on Ukraine, he stated that the Ukrainian leader can have peace or "he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country", even accusing the Ukrainian side of prolonging the conflict. Vice-President JD Vance also got in on the act, saying that it was time for Russia and Ukraine to either agree to the US peace proposal "or for the United States to walk away from this process".

It remains to be seen whether such megaphone diplomacy will work.

There is clearly a wide divide between the US administration and Kyiv and its European allies over how to end the conflict. A London-hosted Ukraine summit was thrown into disarray on Wednesday after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, withdrew from the gathering at the 11th hour, adding another proof of the transatlantic gaps.

All of which, along with the US' shake, rattle and roll of global trade, explains why China has been dragged into the mix.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it had summoned the Chinese ambassador to express its "serious concern" over the alleged participation of Chinese citizens in hostilities against Ukraine, as well as the involvement of Chinese companies in the production of military products in Russia. Earlier, Zelensky had accused China of supplying weapons to the Russian military. But while the Ukrainian side might hope that portraying China in this way will act as a pressure reliever and help it secure a more favorable position with the White House with regard to any settlement, it is highly improper and inappropriate.

China has repeatedly made clear that it does not provide lethal weapons or dual-use items to any party involved in the conflict and it holds a principled and neutral stance on the conflict, advocating for a peaceful resolution through diplomatic dialogue.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed China's firm opposition to the claims, calling them "groundless accusations and political manipulation".

That China's role as a mediator and advocate for peaceful negotiations has garnered recognition from various nations, including Russia and Ukraine, serves to underscore that.

Indeed, as the Russia-Ukraine conflict has unfolded, China's unwavering commitment to peace through talks and its efforts to highlight the importance of constructive engagement as the key to resolve the conflict has served as a vital touchstone for the peace process.

Having taken it on itself to secure a peace deal, the US administration cannot walk away now, which would only prolong the conflict. Ukraine on its part should try and secure the best settlement it can without resorting to throwing a friend under the proverbial bus.