EU has no proof China supplies arms to Russia, says Borrell

The European Union has no evidence that China is arming Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine, the bloc's foreign policy chief said on Saturday.

“China has committed not to supply weapons and we have no evidence that this is happening,” the senior EU official said at the IISS Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore.

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said earlier this month that the UK had evidence that Beijing was supplying weapons to Russia. But the United States quickly responded that it had no such evidence and asked Shapps to share his country's findings with Washington.

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“We haven't seen that until now. I look forward to speaking with the United Kingdom to ensure we have a common operational vision,” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said at the time. He said, however, that China is “clearly supplying weapons components” to Russia and that the United States has “taken steps to address it.”

Additionally, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell claimed that China was providing Russia with “all its behind-the-scenes support” in the war in Ukraine and that Beijing was “destabilizing the heart of Europe.”

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“What we have seen from China to Russia is not a case of an isolated case or a few rogue companies involved in supporting Russia,” Campbell said Wednesday, adding that NATO and EU should send “a collective message of concern to China regarding its actions.”

China has an impartial position

Before Borrell's statement, China's Foreign Ministry said Friday that it was not supplying weapons to either side and had an “impartial stance” on the conflict.

“We have honored our commitment not to supply weapons to any party to the conflict. In accordance with laws and regulations, we have implemented strict controls on exports of military items,” a ministry spokesperson said. following talks between Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and his American counterpart Lloyd Austin in Singapore.

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The United States admitted Friday that it approved Ukraine's request to use U.S.-supplied weapons to carry out strikes against Russia, saying the green light was given on the condition that the Ukrainians limit their strikes to border areas. from Kharkiv, where Russian forces entered. may's beginning.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a news conference following an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Prague: “Ukraine came to us and asked for authorization to use the weapons we provide to defend against this aggression, including against the Russian forces that are present. massed on the Russian side of the borders” and President Joe Biden “approved the use of our weapons for this purpose.”

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Blinken noted that NATO allies are stepping up efforts to meet Ukraine's needs, citing recent commitments by the Netherlands and Germany to provide additional Patriot air defense systems. He also highlighted the Czech Republic's initiative to establish a coalition to urgently supply artillery shells to the Ukrainian armed forces.