“Any shipment by China of lethal aid to Russia would be a historic mistake, with profound consequences.” With this notice to President Xi Jinping, the spring meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Brussels came to an end on Wednesday. The 31 allies (including Finland) have promised Ukraine a multi-year military aid plan even after the end of the war, but at the same time, they are cooling their claim to enter the club as a full member.
“We have discussed China’s growing alignment with Russia. China refuses to condemn Russia’s aggression, echoes Russian propaganda and props up the Russian economy. China and Russia are also intensifying their joint military activities in the Indo-Russian region. Pacific”, denounced the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, at a press conference at the end of the meeting.
Does the Atlantic Alliance have proof that China has already supplied weapons to Moscow? “So far we haven’t been able to confirm any shipments of lethal aid, but it’s something we’re monitoring very closely. And we also want to communicate very clearly that this would be a big mistake,” Stoltenberg replies.
“We know that China and Russia are getting closer and closer. Just a few weeks before the invasion, they signed a partnership agreement that clearly says that the friendship between Russia and China has no limits. And we also know that China is propping up the Russian economy, which is a cause for concern”, said the Secretary-General.
What, specifically, are the “profound consequences” that NATO would impose on China if it ultimately takes the step of arming the Kremlin? “I’m just going to say that several allies, including the biggest ally (referring to the United States), have made it clear that there will be serious consequences. I think there is no reason to go into details, but China knows there will be serious consequences if it starts to supply lethal aid to Russia,” Stoltenberg stressed.
“This war is not just an attack on Ukraine, but on the rules-based international order that preserves peace and stability. If President Putin wins in Ukraine, he will send a dangerous message to authoritarian leaders around the world that they can achieve their goals through brute force. Therefore, our support for Ukraine remains critical,” the secretary general said.
For his part, the head of Spanish diplomacy, José Manuel Albares, has informed his counterparts of Pedro Sánchez‘s visit to Beijing last week and has defended keeping the channels of dialogue open with the Asian giant. “We all hope that China will contribute to world peace and stability. That it uses that influence with Vladimir Putin so that the war ends immediately and that we all work with China in that direction,” he said.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares greets his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani during the NATO meeting in Brussels Reuters
As for Kyiv’s request to join NATO (which its Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba, reiterated again during the meeting in Brussels ), Stoltenberg assures that this is the long-term objective of all the allies, but he has eluded given no calendar. Something that contrasts with the accelerated accession from which Finland (and soon Sweden) has benefited.
As a short-term alternative, the Atlantic Alliance offers President Volodimir Zelensky a multi-year plan to help him defend himself even after the war ends. “We do not know when this war will end. But when it does, we must ensure that President Putin cannot continue to undermine European security,” said the Secretary-General.
“Therefore, we must make it possible for Ukraine to deter and defend itself against further aggression. This includes strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces and Ukraine’s security arrangements,” Stoltenberg argues.
“We have agreed to start work on the development of a multi-year strategic assistance program for Ukraine. A clear demonstration that our support will continue in the long term, to increase Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO and bring it into line with NATO standards. This will help Ukraine on its path towards Euro-Atlantic integration”, concluded the Secretary-General.
