President Donald Trump privately pitched a controversial idea for Ukraine following the end of the Russo-Ukraine War, a proposal fiercely opposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to four insiders that spoke with the Financial Times.

According to the Financial Times’ report, four “people briefed on discussions” told the outlet that Trump had asked Chinese officials to provide “peacekeepers” to patrol and monitor a hypothetical “neutral zone” in Ukraine along its current front line in a postwar scenario. Trump made the suggestion last week during his meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders, according to the insiders.

The White House, however, has outright denied the claims.

“This is false,” said a senior Trump official, speaking with the Financial Times under the condition of anonymity, who went on to declare there had been “no discussion of Chinese peacekeepers.”

The idea of deploying Chinese peacekeepers to Ukraine following the end of hostilities was first raised by Russia early on into its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when brief peace talks were being held between the country and Istanbul.

Zelenskyy, however, has fiercely shot down the proposal, and condemned China for its support of Russia amid the ongoing conflict.

“First, China did not help us stop this war from the beginning; second, China helped Russia by opening the drone market,” Zelenskyy said earlier this month. “They did nothing when Crimea was occupied. That is why we do not need guarantors who do not help Ukraine and did not help Ukraine at a time when we really needed it after [Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine].”

Tensions between Ukraine and China have flared throughout the Russo-Ukraine War, with Zelenskyy accusing China of allowing the use of

more than 150 Chinese nationals

to fight on behalf of Russia, as well as helping Russia with arms production.