The European Union and NATO criticize China’s attempt to be a peacemaker in Ukraine – POLITICO

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – China’s attempt to portray itself as a neutral peacemaker in Ukraine’s war failed on Friday when both NATO and the European Union criticized the playbook for ending the conflict one year after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Beijing is a key strategic ally of Russia, which sees it as a useful partner against the West and NATO. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Chinese companies are already providing “non-lethal” aid to Russia, but added that there are indications that China is considering sending weapons – something Beijing denies.

Earlier on Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry published 12 points and 892 words.position paperWith the aim of settling what it calls the “Ukraine crisis” without referring to it as war.

“China’s position builds on a misplaced focus on the parties’ so-called ‘legitimate security interests and concerns’, implying a justification for Russia’s illegal invasion, and blurring the roles of the aggressor and the aggressor,” Nabila Masrali, EU foreign policy spokeswoman, told a news conference. .

“The position paper does not take into account who is the aggressor and who is the victim of an illegal and unjustified war of aggression,” Masali said, describing the Chinese position paper as “selective and insufficient on its implications for Russia’s war of aggression.” against Ukraine.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said that China’s position is not neutral at all.

It is not a peace plan but shared principles. You have to see them against a specific background. And it is against this backdrop that China took sides, by signing for example the Unlimited Friendship before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.” Press Conference in Estonia. So we’ll look at the principles, of course. But we will look at them against the backdrop that China has taken one side.”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also joined the officials in pouring cold water on Beijing.

“China does not have much credibility,” he told reporters on Friday in response to the latest official document. “They could not condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

Stoltenberg added that there were “indications and indications that China may be planning and considering providing military aid to Russia,” although NATO has not seen “any actual delivery of lethal aid.”

China hoped to improve relations with the Europeans, doubling down on its efforts to discredit the United States

For example, Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying accused the United States of benefiting from the war. Wang Lutong, chief of European affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, appealed directly to the EU: “China is willing to make joint efforts with the EU and continue to play a constructive role in Ukraine,” Wang said in a press release. tweetwith a screenshot of the last show added.

More doubts

Russian propaganda appears in just five lines of China’s newly unveiled official plan for resolving the “Ukrainian crisis” – released Friday to mark the first year of what Beijing refuses to call war.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s position paper stated that “the security of the region should not be achieved through the strengthening or expansion of military blocs,” supporting the Russian claim that the war broke out in order to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.

The next point in the Chinese plan: “All sides … should avoid fanning the flames and exacerbating tensions.” Chinese diplomats have in recent weeks accused the United States of being the largest arms supplier to Ukraine, while it faces mounting pressure not to supply weapons to Russia.

Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada’s Foreign Affairs Committee, called China’s position “hypocritical”.

“[China’s proposal] Very reminiscent of the hypocritical Soviet rhetoric of “fight for peace,” Merezhko said. “It is a set of empty explanatory slogans; it is not backed up by detail or mechanism of implementation.”

Merezhko also asked Europe not to fall for China’s charm offensive as it seeks to divide transatlantic unity over aid to his country. “China, just like Russia, is trying to divide the European Union and the United States and undermine transatlantic solidarity,” he told Politico in response to the Chinese proposal. “It is very dangerous.”

Central and Eastern European countries, which are the most vocal proponents of arming Ukraine, are equally dismissive of Beijing’s rhetoric.

“China’s plan is vague and offers no solutions,” said Ivana Karaskova, who heads the Prague-based China Observers Central and Eastern Europe think tank. The plan calls for Russia and Ukraine to handle the issue themselves, which would only benefit Russia; China continues to oppose what it describes as unilateral sanctions and demand the approval of the sanctions by the United Nations Security Council – well, given the fact that the aggressor is a permanent member of the Security Council and has veto power, this claim is beyond absurd.