Photo: EPA / UPG
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing on 4 February 2022.
EU leaders want to warn China about the inadmissibility of Russia's aid during tomorrow's video summit.
This was reported by The Guardian.
"The message must be clear: any military or financial support from China to Russia, as well as assistance in circumventing sanctions, will have serious consequences for EU-China relations," a senior EU diplomat told the newspaper.
Another European diplomat told The Guardian that the summit would be a defining moment that would shape relations between Brussels and Beijing for many upcoming years.
"Obviously, if they help Russia in one way or another – give weapons or help circumvent sanctions – it will open up all kinds of opportunities, not least in a very strong transatlantic alliance," said the diplomat. "The EU will not take for granted if China is openly on Russia's side."
The interlocutors of the publication stated that there is a "great convergence" on this issue among the twenty-seven EU member states.
The Financial Times reported that Russia had asked China for military assistance to continue the invasion of Ukraine. The FT also claims that the United States has informed its allies in Europe and Asia that China has "shown readiness" to provide military support to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. This information was later confirmed by US officials, who added that Washington would try to persuade Beijing not to interfere on Russia's side.
On 14 March, a seven-hour meeting between Yang Jiechi and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan took place in Rome.
"We have made it very clear to Beijing, publicly and privately, that such support [Russia's aggression - LB.ua] will have consequences," said State Department spokesman Ned Price.
Later, during a two-hour conversation, US President Biden warned Chinese leader Xi Jinping of the consequences for Beijing of providing financial or military assistance to Russia for its aggression against Ukraine.
In his turn, Yang Jiechi said that the situation in Ukraine has reached a situation that China would not like to see.