White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that during the call that took place on Friday between the U.S. and Chinese presidents, the U.S. head of state intended to assess China's position on the current crisis in Eastern Europe.
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China: Solution to Ukraine’s Conflict Is in NATO and US’ Hands
In this regard, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that China has refused to denounce Russia's aggression in Ukraine and has instead taken a neutral position. He further noted that Beijing's responsibility is to take action on the matter by exerting its influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin and upholding the international norms and principles it claims to support.
The diplomat also addressed U.S. concerns over claims that China was considering offering Moscow military assistance in connection with the Ukraine crisis. However, Beijing has repeatedly rejected such claims, noting that they are a matter of disinformation. On the other hand, Blinken revealed that China would be held accountable for its actions to support Russian aggression. The United States will not hesitate to impose costs, he added.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine last February 24. In this regard, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the operation was aimed at the demilitarization and denazification of the government in Kiev, which had sought NATO membership and nuclear weapons while rejecting peace in the region of Donbass. The United States has since accused Moscow of an unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine. Since then, the U.S. has accused Moscow of an unprovoked, unjustified attack on Ukraine.
As for the West's claims, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out that his country is not involved in the conflict in Ukraine, stating that some forces continue to create all kinds of false information seeking to defame China's objective and fair position on the issue.
Wang Yi also disclosed that Beijing has the right to defend its legitimate interests. China "always opposes the use of sanctions to solve problems, let alone unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law," he said.
The United States has openly called on several countries to denounce Moscow, and Blinken has urged them to exert all their influence with Russia. On Tuesday, Psaki warned India not to buy oil from Russia, warning the country that buying Russian oil means supporting Russia's aggression in Ukraine.