G7 leaders have warned China and North Korea against expanding their nuclear arsenals, as they prepare for the arrival of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The war in Ukraine has dominated discussions in Hiroshima, with Zelenskiy set to arrive in the city late on Saturday, a day after the White House announced it would permit allied countries to supply Ukraine with US-built F-16 fighter planes. Zelenskiy described the decision as “historic”, adding that he looked forward to “discussing the practical implementation” in Hiroshima. Russia’s war in Ukraine has raised fears…
Tag: Ukraine
Ukrainians Have No Illusions About China’s Peacemaking Role
Chinese special envoy Li Hui arrived in Kyiv this week to discuss efforts by his country to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian analysts say Kyiv has no illusions about China’s ability to deliver a peace agreement, but say it is important for Ukraine to maintain a dialogue with China. Anna Chernikova reports from Kyiv. VOA footage by Eugene Shynkar. Voice of America
Ukraine and China Will Dominate G7 Summit, but a New Threat Lurks: A.I.
President Biden began his foreshortened Asia trip on Thursday in Hiroshima, a city that devotes itself to reminding the world of what happens when a brutal war escalates into a nuclear one. There he prepared for discussions with his closest allies on two crucial issues: how to better arm Ukraine as it enters its counteroffensive against the Russian invaders, and how to slow, or halt, the downward spiral in relations with China. Both are now familiar topics to the leaders of the Group of 7 nations, who have grown far…
As G7 leaders start to arrive, Japan PM prepares push in Hiroshima for nuclear weapons pledge
The war in Ukraine and Chinese aggression towards Taiwan will dominate G7 discussions this week, but host Fumio Kishida is expected to carve out time to push for a pledge on nuclear weapons when leaders meet in Hiroshima, the first place on Earth targeted by an atomic bomb. The leaders began to arrive on Thursday, ahead of an expected visit on Saturday to the city’s Peace Memorial Museum, which contains exhibits showing the scale of the tragedy that unfolded after the US dropped a nuclear bomb on the morning of…
Ukraine tells China envoy it will not give up territory to Russia as price of peace
Ukraine’s foreign minister has met China’s special envoy to Kyiv and insisted that the war-torn country would not accept a peace plan that relied on giving up territory after Russia’s invasion. In the Ukrainian capital, China’s envoy Li Hui is seeking to promote Beijing-led negotiations to resolve the conflict. He is the most senior Chinese diplomat to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. China, a close ally of Moscow, has not publicly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, whose foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said that peace depended on “respect…
China Asks Embassies to Avoid ‘Propaganda’ but Doesn’t Define It
beijing — The Chinese government has asked foreign embassies in Beijing to avoid displaying “propaganda” in an apparent response to shows of support for Ukraine. Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government says it is neutral in Moscow’s 15-month-old invasion of Ukraine but has repeated Russian justifications for the attack, accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said the Protocol Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry circulated a note on May 8 to all diplomatic missions to the effect that they should “respect Chinese laws…
Beijing tells foreign embassies to remove ‘politicised propaganda’
Foreign embassies in Beijing have been asked to remove “politicised propaganda” from their buildings, apparently a reference to the Ukrainian flags that many missions have displayed on their exterior since the Russian invasion. The notice from China’s foreign ministry, sent on 10 May, said: “Do not use the building facilities’ exterior walls to display politicised propaganda to avoid inciting disputes between countries,” according to Reuters. Four Beijing-based diplomats interviewed by the news agency said “politicised propaganda” was a reference to the Ukrainian flag. The notice was addressed to “all embassies,…
Ukraine’s Offensive Could Set Stage for Diplomacy With Russia, U.S. Officials Say
Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive against Russia has overshadowed talk of a potential negotiated settlement in the conflict, but some U.S. and European officials say the next phase of the war could create momentum for diplomacy. It is unclear how the officials will define success in the counteroffensive, which could last many months, or how its outcome might affect their approach. Opinions range widely among military strategists about whether Ukraine is likely to regain territory after more than a year of war. For now, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has shown no…
EU tells ministers they must ‘recalibrate’ China policy over support for Russia
A Russian defeat in Ukraine will not derail China’s rise, while relations between Beijing and the EU will be “critically affected” if Xi Jinping does not push Vladimir Putin to withdraw his forces, European ministers have been told. The message comes in a paper drawn up by the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who is meeting the EU’s 27 foreign ministers on Friday in Stockholm to discuss how the bloc should “recalibrate” its policy towards Beijing. Along with the war in Ukraine, relations with China have become Europe’s most…
US Watches With Caution as China Sends Peace Envoy to Ukraine
State Department — In just a few months, U.S. officials have pivoted from publicly warning Beijing not to provide material support for Russia’s war in Ukraine to acknowledging there is a role for China to play in brokering peace talks. On February 24, the day that China unveiled its 12-point peace proposal, Blinken voiced skepticism during remarks to the United Nations Security Council Ministerial Meeting on Ukraine. “No member of this council should call for peace while supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine and on the U.N. Charter,” the top U.S.…