The European Union and NATO receive the Chinese peace plan for Ukraine with extreme coldness. Both the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenas the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance, Jens StoltenbergThey consider that Beijing “does not have much credibility” because it has never condemned the Kremlin’s war of aggression and has also taken sides by signing an “unlimited friendship” agreement with Vladimir Putin days before the outbreak of the conflict.
Stoltenberg has gone a step further and has ensured that the Chinese president, Xi Jinpingis preparing for send military aid to Russia for the first time since the start of the war. A movement that according to the NATO Secretary General it would be “a big mistake”, of which the Chinese authorities have already been notified. In contrast, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said this week that his Chinese counterpart has given him guarantees that he would not supply weapons to the Kremlin.
Stoltenberg and Von der Leyen have participated this Friday in a ceremony in Tallinn commemorating Estonia’s independence from Russia, together with the country’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas. An act that has served to mark the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, staging unity of action between the EU and NATO and reiterate the Western bloc’s support for kyiv “for as long as it takes.”
[El plan de paz de China en Ucrania: cese al fuego, fin de las sanciones a Rusia y respeto a la soberanía]
“What (China) has put forward is not a peace plan but a set of principles. We have to look at them against the background: China has chosen a side, for example by signing an unlimited friendship (with Russia) just before the invasion of Ukraine began. So we will examine the principles, of course, but we will take into account the background, which is that China has taken sides,” said the Commission president at a joint press conference with Stoltenberg and Kallas.
“China does not have much credibility, because has not been able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine. They also signed an agreement between President Xi and President Putin for unlimited partnership with Russia just days before the invasion,” the NATO Secretary General agreed.
Ursula von der Leyen lays a wreath at the Estonian independence war memorial
“President Putin is not preparing for peace, he is preparing for just the opposite, for more war and new offensives. Most likely, this war will end at some point at a negotiating table, but if we want a peaceful solution we have to realize that what happens at that negotiating table depends entirely on the strength and situation on the battlefieldStoltenberg claims.
“That means that if we want a negotiated peaceful solution in which Ukraine prevails as an independent and sovereign country, we must support Ukraine militarily now. Because it is the way to create the conditions for President Putin to realize that he will not win in the battlefield, that it must sit down and accept Ukraine as a sovereign and independent country in Europe. So military support today is the way to achieve a peaceful agreement tomorrow.”has settled the Secretary General of NATO.
[La UE y la OTAN acusan a Putin de desmantelar la arquitectura de seguridad mundial]
Stoltenberg says that so far there has been no delivery of lethal aid from China to Russia. “What we have seen are signs and indications that China may be planning and considering providing military aid to Russia,” he warned.
“China shouldn’t do that, because that would be endorsing an illegal war of aggression, violating international law and violating the UN Charter. And China is a member of the UN Security Council and has a particular responsibility to protect the UN Charter. And this is a war of aggression that violates exactly that charter,” she insisted.
Kaja Kallas, Ursula von der Leyen and Jens Stoltenberg, during the celebration this Friday in Tallinn
What would be the message from the EU and NATO to Putin one year after the invasion of Ukraine? “The message to Moscow is that President Putin started this war and President Putin can end the war today by withdrawing his forces. If it doesn’t, we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the NATO Secretary General replied.
“Ukraine is fighting not only for its independence and territorial integrity, but also for universal values: peace, respect for international law, respect for the UN Charter. And that is why Ukraine is not only fighting for its independence, but for all of us and we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes“, says the president of the Commission.
“We have shown resilience, unity and determination during the last twelve months. And President Putin must know that we will redouble the commitment of determination and unity when it comes to supporting Ukraine,” Von der Leyen insisted.
“We are united in our support for Ukraine and Russia cannot win this war. The sooner Russia realizes that this aggression was a mistake, the better for everyone,” the Estonian Prime Minister concluded.
