China has sided with Russia on the Ukraine issue at the United Nations while telling the U.S. to stop sending weapons to Kyiv.
China's ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, has said the U.S. should stop sending weapons to Ukraine to allow diplomatic efforts to work.
"Certain countries should immediately stop pouring oil on the fire and stop undermining the diplomatic efforts of the international community," Zhang said while pointing at the U.S. at the U.N. Security Council review of the Ukraine issue on Monday in New York.
Zhang's comments come as the Kremlin has signaled an interest in diplomatic dialogue to end the conflict in its third year. At the same time, Ukraine is seeking additional funding from the U.S. to launch a counter-offense against Russia to secure the territories in the east lost to the Kremlin.
China hasn't officially extended support to Russia's war in Ukraine, but Beijing has provided financial assistance, allowing the Kremlin to build weapons and fund the conflict.
China called for implementing the new Minsk Agreement, which was reached between Russia and Ukraine in 2014.
"Regrettably, most of the provisions of the agreement have not been implemented so far, and large-scale conflicts broke out later and have been postponed to this day. This is regrettable and deserves serious reflection by all parties," said Zhang.
"The security of one country cannot be at the expense of the security of other countries, and regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military groups. The security interests of all countries are equal to each other," said Zhang Jun.
Zhang further targeted the Northern Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) while calling on the alliance to "stop making threats."
"NATO must adhere to dialogue and consultation in resolving disputes and to the general direction of political settlement, instead of engaging in pressure, smearing and unilateral sanctions, and even less in the use of force. NATO, in particular, should wake up from the myth of force and stop making threats and clamoring for war," Zhang said.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed the $95.3 billion bill to fund the Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan aid packages. The Senate members voted 70-29, paving the way for the House of Representatives to review the $60.06 billion in additional aid to Ukraine, CNN reported on Tuesday.
To approve the bill, 22 Republicans, alongside the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, joined the Democrats to approve the legislation.
Experts have argued that U.S. aid to Ukraine is crucial for Kyiv's efforts to liberate the occupied territory.
"Without Western military aid, the odds of Ukraine successfully resuming large-scale offensive operations to liberate its Russian-occupied territories in 2025 are at the outer end of the optimistic range. That in turn calls for a different long-term strategy for Ukraine and for its allies and partners," wrote Eugene Rumer, Director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, on February 7.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aadil Brar is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers international security, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
