German Foreign Minister to visit China, address Russia’s war on Ukraine

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Photo: REUTERS/Axel Schmidt)

A spokesperson for Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
stated that Baerbock will make a brief visit to China on Dec. 1. On Dec. 2, the
minister will meet with her Chinese counterpart.

Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the war in
Ukraine will also be addressed during the talks.

On Nov. 25, Bloomberg reported
that G7 countries plan to increase pressure on China and “take appropriate
measures” due to its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Russia-China cooperation at the forefront

In October 2023, the Pentagon announced that Russia had been
purchasing dual-use products and secondary military items from China for its
armed forces, including firearms, spare parts, navigation equipment, and
protective gear.

On April 7, 2024, Bloomberg reported that China had
intensified its support for Russia in the war by providing satellite imagery
for Russian strikes on Ukrainian targets.

On April 12, Reuters, citing unnamed U.S. officials,
reported that China continues to help Russia boost its defense production by
supplying machinery, microelectronics, drones, and cruise missile technologies.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell stated that the
U.S. would hold China accountable if Russia achieves success in the war against
Ukraine.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has claimed that Beijing
is not seeking to benefit from the war Russia started in Ukraine.

Following the NATO summit in Washington in July, the final
declaration referred to China as a “decisive factor” supporting Russia’s war
against Ukraine. China’s delegation to the EU rejected these claims as slander
and urged the alliance to stay out of Asia.

In late July, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro
Kuleba visited China for the first time since the start of the full-scale war.
He said that after his talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Guangzhou, he
received a clear signal that China is not looking for “temporary solutions” to
the peace process in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that
during Kuleba’s visit, China assured that it would not supply weapons to Russia
and reportedly supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

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