‘China has taken Russia’s side’: EU dismisses Beijing’s ‘misplaced’ plan for peace in Ukraine
- Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says China’s ‘unlimited friendship’ with Russia challenges credibility of peace proposals
- Position paper released by Beijing on Friday advocated immediate ceasefire, end to sanctions, and abandoning ‘cold war mentality’
02:21
China releases 12-point position paper on 1-year anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine
Speaking in Estonia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen implied that China was not a neutral party in the conflict.
“You have to see [the paper] against a specific backdrop. And that is the backdrop that China has taken a side by signing an unlimited friendship right before invasion of Ukraine started,” she said, referring to a cooperation agreement signed by Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in Beijing on February 6 last year.
“So we will look at the principles of course, but we will look at them against the backdrop that China has taken sides.”
This view was also espoused by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who told German state broadcaster ZDF: “We should have no illusions about China. They have up until now not taken a stand against Russia.”