The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, warned on Tuesday that China’s positions regarding Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine will determine “the quality of relations” between the European Union (EU) and Beijing.
In a statement to the press accompanied by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of an EU-US Energy Council. To be held in Brussels, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy pointed out that one of the issues addressed in the bilateral discussion held this Tuesday morning was China’s role in the conflict, which returned to deplore, given its proximity to Moscow, “the aggressor”.
“It’s been over a year since [o Presidente russo, Vladimir] Putin has begun to destroy the Ukraine and seems determined to continue his brutal carnage and destruction. And he continues betting on climbing despite not getting anything. The latest nuclear ‘move’ from him, the movement of nuclear weapons to Belarus, constitutes a further escalation and poses a direct threat to European security.”
Borrell later observed that “this comes ironically after Chinese President Xi [Jinping] visit Moscow and mention the need for peace and agree on the need not to transfer nuclear weapons abroad. And a few days later, Russia deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.”
“We discussed with Secretary Blinken China’s role and support for Russia’s violation of the United Nations Charter. There is a clear expectation that a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council will uphold the international order, based on the rules, and China has a moral duty to contribute to a just peace. It cannot side with the aggressor or support it militarily. That is our message to China,” he said, stressing that this is conveyed to Beijing at all times. .
The head of diplomacy recalled that, this Tuesday, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was traveling to Beijing in the company of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, after the head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, had traveled to China last week, noting that he himself will travel to Beijing next week.
However, these diplomatic efforts are conditioned by China’s positions regarding the war in Ukraine, he reiterated.
“We have been clear. China’s positions regarding the atrocities and war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine will determine the quality of our relations with Beijing,” he said.
Blinken noted that “today’s discussions reinforced an idea that has been evident for some time: relations between the United States and the European Union have never been stronger or more important.”
“After more than a year of Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine, the challenges for the transatlantic relationship could not be greater,” he said, congratulating the United States and the European Union for working closely together, and “with a broad coalition of partners around the world to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, can defend its people, its territory and the right to choose its course”.
Blinken thanked the “extraordinary support of the European Union” to Ukraine in the most diverse domains, also through the sanctions against Russia, and highlighted the strong military support that the 27 have provided to Kiev, and was especially pleased with the recent announcement of an additional two billion euros in ammunition agreed by the community bloc.
Finally, the US Secretary of State said that one of the issues to be addressed at the EU-US Energy Ministerial Council. The US is how to continue joint efforts to further reduce dependence on Russian energy.
Source: TSF
