China calls for restraint by ‘all sides’ in Ukraine crisis

China has called for restraint by “all sides”, after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow would recognise the independence of breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine. The move sparked accusations from the US and its allies during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that Russia was violating Ukrainian sovereignty. At a press conference in Beijing on February 22, 2022, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, “China once again calls on all parties to exercise restraint, recognise the importance of implementing the principle of indivisibility of security, and ease the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation”. 

Video source: AFP