Josép Borrell, the head of the EU’s foreign policy department, during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, discussed among other things China’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“The High Representative explained why the European Union considers the Russian war against Ukraine an existential threat to Europe. He expressed concern that China’s export of a large quantity of goods and dual-use items supports Russia in increasing its military equipment production,” the statement published on the European External Action Service website said.
Points of Influence
According to the statement, Borrell asked “China to use its influence on Russia to help end the war.”
“He called on China to support the peace process in Ukraine and believes that the joint statement with Brazil from May 2024 does not go in that direction,” the European service added.
Recently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. According to him, the talks focused on ways to achieve a just peace.
According to Western media reports, during the war in Ukraine, China has become Russia’s main supplier of goods necessary for various armaments, including missiles. For example, the Financial Times reported that in 2023, 90% of chips imported by Russia came from China and were used in the production of missiles, tanks, and aircraft. In the last quarter of last year, 70% of machines were imported from China, which were likely used in the production of ballistic missiles.
Illusory Neutrality
It is important to note that Chinese officials avoid openly taking sides with any of the warring countries, although it is evident to everyone who is their primary economic and political partner. They manage to maintain a very delicate and fragile, yet neutral position.
China declares that it does not provide weapons to any side of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which it refers to as the “Ukrainian crisis.” China states that it is a neutral party in Russia’s war against Ukraine, but it is criticized for refusing to condemn Moscow for its full-scale invasion of Ukrainian territories in February 2022 and for its ties with the Russian Federation.
