Joe Biden will warn Xi Jinping that the US is ready to retaliate if Beijing actively supports Russia in Ukraine in a call between US and Chinese leaders that could represent a pivotal moment in conflict diplomacy. around the war.
Friday’s talks come as the Biden administration grows increasingly concerned about China’s readiness support President Vladimir Putin’s invasion enters its 23rd day with Russia’s ground forces largely at a standstill.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said that Biden will “make it clear that China will be held accountable for any actions it takes to support Russian aggression and we will not hesitate to impose costs.” “. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters the call was an opportunity for Biden to see “President Xi’s position.”
According to local authorities, Russian missiles hit the outskirts of Lviv on Friday, in an attack that signaled Moscow’s readiness to expand its bombardment into western Ukraine.
Andriy Sadovyy, the mayor of the city, said the missile hit an area near the airport but no casualties were reported. Ukraine’s air force says Russia fired six cruise missiles into the region from the Black Sea, two of which were destroyed by anti-aircraft missiles.
Western officials say Putin’s forces have made little progress in capturing territory this week, as troops have been redirected to protect tense supply lines from what the agencies British intelligence described as “unrelenting Ukrainian counterattacks”.
With Ukraine’s biggest cities still outside of Russia’s control, Putin’s forces are increasingly reliant on heavy weapons and missile strikes to reduce resistance, destroying massive amounts of infrastructure. civil infrastructure. About 3.2 million Ukrainians have fled the country, about 7% of the population.
Blinken has alert There is no sign that Putin is “prepared to stop” and has reiterated concerns that Russia is “setting the stage for the use of chemical weapons” and falsely blaming Ukraine for the attack.
As Russia seeks to strengthen its campaign, Financial Times report This week, Moscow requested several types of weapons, including drones, from Beijing. Blinken confirmed that Washington is worried that China is “considering directly providing Russia with military equipment” for use in Ukraine.
While Beijing openly declares neutrality, the US fears it is moving closer to supporting Russia.
China also avoided describing the war as an “invasion”, referring instead to the “problem” or “crisis” of Ukraine. A State Department official also met Andrey Denisov, Russia’s ambassador to Beijing, to discuss “counter-terrorism and security cooperation” on Thursday.
“The fact that China is not denouncing what Russia is doing. . . flies in the face. . . of everything China stands for, including the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, including the fundamental principles of respecting the sovereignty of nations,” said Psaki.
The reality is that China has not denounced what Russia is doing.
The Biden administration is paying close attention to whether China will help Russia break up punishment The West has imposed on Putin and his regime.
At a meeting in Rome on Monday, Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, told his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi that Beijing would face consequences if it bailed out Russia.
Last month, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin issued a statement in which the leaders describe their growing partnership like no limit.
China has called for talks between Kyiv and Moscow and Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, signaled in early March that Beijing could play a role as a mediator after talking to Wang Yi, his Chinese counterpart.
However, Beijing has opposed the sanctions and has repeatedly blamed NATO and the EU for pressuring Putin before the war. Chinese diplomats and state media have also repeat Russian disinformation reports that the US is using Ukraine to research dangerous biological weapons.
Zhao Lijian, an official from China’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Thursday that the country’s “clear” goal was to work to de-escalate and end the conflict as soon as possible.
The call was only the fourth interaction between Biden and Xi and follows their virtual meeting in November, when the US President told the Chinese leader that it was the responsibility of the two to ensure that competition was not ” become conflict”.
The White House concluded last fall that it was important for Biden to speak directly to Xi because of concerns that messages to his senior officials were not being conveyed appropriately to the Chinese president. well suited.
Additional reporting by William Langley in Hong Kong
