NATO acknowledges its "growing concern" over possible arms shipments from China to Russia

BRUSELAS, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

NATO has acknowledged this Tuesday that it is "increasingly" concerned that China could collaborate militarily with Russia in the context of the invasion of Ukraine, which celebrates its first anniversary this Friday.

"We are increasingly concerned that China may be planning to provide lethal support to Russia's war," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba and the High EU Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell.

These words coincide with the fears of the United States about a possible alliance between Beijing and Moscow in relation to the war in Ukraine. China has so far avoided outright condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin's military offensive on Ukraine, though it has criticized Washington for signaling greater alignment with the Kremlin.

For his part, when asked about this issue, the High Representative has reduced the tension with Beijing, noting that for the moment there are no indications that point to it. "To my knowledge, there is no evidence that China has been doing what it claims not to be doing," he stressed.

Borrell has indicated that in his contacts with the Chinese State Councilor, Wang Yi, he has assured him that Beijing does not supply Russia with weapons, nor do they have plans along these lines. "That's what he told me, clearly stressing that this is a principle of China's foreign policy. And, by the way, he asked me: 'Why do you show concern for me, perhaps providing weapons to Russia when (the EU) is providing weapons to Ukraine?" He explained about this conversation.

Thus, the head of community diplomacy has said that he had to explain "the big difference" between supporting Ukraine and Russia militarily and what Europe is at stake with the military contest in the east of the continent.

Regarding China's peace plans, which is finalizing a proposal to negotiate the end of the war, the Ukrainian minister has said that he will study the details of the document if it materializes and has opted for President Volodimir Zelenski's peace formula, a 10-point initiative that the EU endorses.