The Diplomat
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had a telephone conversation yesterday with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, whom he asked to use his country’s influence on Russia to end the war against Ukraine.
“I have spoken with my counterpart from China, Wang Yi, about the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the means to put an end to it,” Albares stated via his Twitter account. During the telephone conversation, the Ministry reported in a press release, the minister reiterated Spain’s condemnation, “in the strongest terms,” of Russian aggression against Ukraine. “Russia has undermined the foundations of peace and stability in Europe, it already threatens the international community as a whole,” Albares warned. “Spain is fully committed to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine,” he added.
Albares also explained his Chinese counterpart that “we are facing a historic moment that requires from all world leaders a sense of responsibility and vision for the future.” He also acknowledged that sanctions are not easy for anyone but that “we are fully committed and ready to take the consequences”.
The interview between Albares and Wang coincided with the meeting in Rome between the White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and the highest representative of Chinese diplomacy, State Councilor Yang Jiechi. According to the White House, the two will address “the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on global and regional security,” while the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not mention Ukraine and referred only to “international and global issues of interest to both of us.”
Sullivan assured of the interview that he would warn Yang against any pretense of aiding Russia in the conflict, either to evade or palliate Western sanctions or to harm Ukraine. “We have communicated to Beijing, privately and directly, that, of course, there would be consequences,” the White House adviser told CNN on Sunday. Official US sources have claimed that Russia has asked China to supply military equipment, but the Chinese Foreign Ministry has called these accusations “disinformation coming from the United States”. The European Union said yesterday that it could neither “confirm nor deny” that Russia had requested economic or military assistance from China.
Last March 7, Wang Yi declared at a press conference – coinciding with the third session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) – that cooperation between his country and Russia is “rock solid” and that “China is ready to continue to play a constructive role and to work with the international community, when necessary, to carry out the necessary mediation.” “Peace and dialogue should be promoted, and China has already made some efforts in this regard,” he added. Three days later, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, told La Sexta that China could play, if it wanted, “an important role” in resolving the conflict because “no one has more influence over Russia” and for Ukraine “it would not be a bad solution.”
