WASHINGTON: The United States (US) said Tuesday it does not see China as capable of being an impartial mediator between Moscow and Kyiv over the war.
The US comment marked the most direct US criticism yet of China’s aim to be a middleman in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. “I don’t think you can reasonably look at China as impartial in any way,” John Kirby, White House National Security Council spokesman told media-persons.
He observed that China has refrained from criticizing Russian invasion of Ukraine and has continued to buy Russian oil even as the West piles sanctions on Russia’s energy industry to starve the Kremlin of money to pay for the war.
China, the White House National Security Council spokesman added, also “keeps parroting the Russian propaganda” to the effect that the United States and other countries in the West are to blame for the war for giving such a strong support to pro-western Ukraine over the years that Russia felt threatened and justified in invading the country.
In a summit rich with red carpet show, Chinese President Xi Jingping visited Russia on Tuesday and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the war in Ukraine high on their talks agenda. After talks, they hailed what they called a “new era” in Chinese-Russian relations.
John Kirby said the two personalities were linked not so much by an alliance but rather “a marriage of convenience, because that’s what I think it is.” China has unveiled a 12-point position paper on the Ukraine war which also includes a call for dialogue and respect for territorial sovereignty of all the countries. Russian president said he was open to talks on Ukraine and praised Beijing’s position paper.
US believes Russia, China want to change rules of the game
White House National Security Council spokesman said that Russia and China “want to change the rules of that game,” meaning the rules based international order. Still, the US wants to maintain channels of communication with China, he added.
Kirby further said that he is not aware of China having provided military assistance to Russia. The US has said China is considering this big step, but China denies it.
