Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told the European Union's top diplomat, Kaia Kallas, that Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose in the war against Ukraine, as that would allow the United States to focus all its attention on China, a source familiar with the talks told CNN. Several sources with knowledge of the talks also told the South China Morning Post.
According to the media, Wang Yi made his statement during a four-hour meeting with the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaia Kallas, on Wednesday in Brussels. The conversation covered a wide range of issues - from cybersecurity and rare earth metals to trade imbalances, the situation around Taiwan and the Middle East. The exchange of views was “firm but respectful”, writes CNN.
Wang Yi's statement shows that Beijing would probably prefer a prolonged war in Ukraine, which would distract the US from the confrontation with China, suggests a CNN source. These words confirm the opinion of critics of Chinese policy, who believe that for China, the war in Ukraine actually has a much greater geopolitical significance than it officially declares, claiming neutrality, the television channel believes.
At the same time, Wang Yi rejected accusations that China is providing Russia with material (financial or military) assistance in the war, sources claim to the South China Morning Post. According to them, if Beijing had really helped, the war in Ukraine would have ended long ago.
During the four-hour conversation, Wang Yi, as the South China Morning Post writes, taught Kallas several “history lessons and gave a lecture”. Several EU officials said Wang Yi had given Kallas, who has only been in office since late last year, a lesson in realpolitik. According to sources, Beijing believes that Washington will soon turn its attention to the East.
China's statement after the meeting with Kallas said that "there is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and the EU, and the two countries have a broad common ground for cooperation."
At a press conference on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, in response to a question about the content of the meeting, reiterated China's previously expressed official position on the war in Ukraine: "China's position on the Ukrainian crisis is objective and consistent: negotiations, ceasefire and peace. The ongoing crisis in Ukraine is not in anyone's interest“.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said on Friday that after the attack on Kiev that night, a “Shahed-136“ / “Geran-2“ combat drone, which was supplied by China, was discovered. A photo was also shown. One of the images showed part of the device's fuselage, which contained information that one of the drone's elements was manufactured by a Chinese company on June 20.