
Russia and China discuss Ukraine war and ties with the United States
President Vladimir Putin's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in Beijing on Sunday (Jun 13). Lavrov is due to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) foreign ministers in China.
"The parties also discussed relations with the United States and prospects for resolving the Ukrainian crisis," the foreign ministry said.
"The importance of strengthening close coordination between the two countries in the international arena, including in the United Nations and its Security Council, the SCO, BRICS, the G20 and APEC, was emphasized," the ministry said.
China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Putin has sometimes described China as an "ally".
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
3 hours ago
- CNA
Trump warns Putin over Ukraine as EU fails to agree fresh Russia sanctions
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Jul 15) warned Russia it has 50 days to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face fresh sanctions, even as the European Union failed to approve its latest package of measures against Moscow. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should not target Moscow despite reports he had privately encouraged deeper strikes inside Russia. "No, he shouldn't target Moscow," Trump said, adding that he is on "humanity's side" and wants to stop the killing. Trump defended his 50-day ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin, vowing that sanctions and tariffs would kick in against countries that continue to buy Russian oil if no agreement is reached. "At the end of the 50 days if we don't have a deal, it's going to be too bad," Trump said. His remarks followed Monday's announcement of a new NATO-backed military aid package for Kyiv. Trump said European countries would fund the supply of US-made Patriot missile systems and other weaponry for Ukraine. Moscow responded cautiously, saying it needed time to study Trump's comments but warning they could embolden Ukraine to prolong the conflict. "It seems that such a decision... will be perceived by Kyiv not as a signal for peace but for the continuation of the war," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Russia has ramped up aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks and has refused ceasefire calls, demanding instead that Kyiv pull out of occupied regions and cease all Western military support. Despite back-to-back prisoner exchanges, peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv have yielded no major breakthroughs. Russia said it remains open to dialogue but is waiting for proposals from Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines expressed mixed reactions. Some welcomed the promised US weapons, while others questioned Trump's reliability and warned that vital time had been lost. EU DIVIDED ON NEW SANCTIONS Meanwhile, in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was "really sad" the bloc was unable to agree on its 18th sanctions package targeting Russia. "The ball is now in Slovakia's court," Kallas said, referencing Slovakia's ongoing objections due to a separate EU plan to phase out Russian gas by 2028. The proposed sanctions include a floating price cap on Russian oil, a ban on transactions with banks circumventing sanctions, and prohibitions linked to Russia's Nord Stream pipelines. The measures are part of the EU's ongoing effort to curb Moscow's ability to fund its war in Ukraine. While all other member states were ready to proceed, Kallas said she remained hopeful a final agreement could be reached as soon as Wednesday. TENSIONS MOUNT OVER WEAPONS PLAN As part of his broader policy, Trump has threatened severe tariffs on countries that continue trade with Russia if no ceasefire is reached. His remarks come amid concerns in Europe over the unpredictability of US foreign policy and the future of NATO unity. Nevertheless, some EU countries, including Denmark and the Netherlands, said they are open to joining Trump's plan to purchase American arms for Ukraine. Trump's stance marks a shift from earlier ambiguity about US involvement in Ukraine and follows mounting criticism that the West has not done enough to stop Russia's offensive, now in its fourth year.

Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
China, India may need new oil options if Trump moves on Russia ‘secondary tariffs' threat
China and India are the two largest purchasers of Russian oil following Western sanctions on Russia. - China and India stand to bear the brunt of US President Donald Trump's threat of 100 per cent 'secondary tariffs' on nations trading with Moscow, should Russian President Vladimir Putin fail to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine in less than 50 days. As the two largest purchasers of Russian oil following Western sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine in early 2022, Beijing and New Delhi receive the bulk of the estimated more than seven million barrels of crude oil and refined products that Moscow exports each day.


CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Europeans open to buying US arms for Ukraine under Trump plan but need details
BRUSSELS: Several European countries said on Tuesday (Jul 15) they were willing to buy US arms for Ukraine under a scheme announced by US President Donald Trump, although arrangements still needed to be worked out. Trump said on Monday that Washington will supply Patriot air defence systems, missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine for its war against Russia's invasion and that the arms would be paid for by other NATO countries. But much remains undisclosed, including the amounts and precise types of weapons to be provided, how quickly they would be supplied and how they would be paid for. US officials have suggested that European countries will be willing to give up some of their own stocks of weapons for Ukraine and then buy replacements from the United States. But some of the countries involved say they still don't even know what is being asked of them. Such a move would get weapons to Ukraine more quickly but would leave donor countries' defences more exposed until new systems are ready. "We are ready to participate. Of course we can't do it on our own, we need others to partner up - but we have a readiness,' Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of European Union ministers. Speaking alongside Trump at the White House on Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada want to be part of the new initiative. Many of those countries have been among the biggest military aid donors to Ukraine, either overall or per capita. Asked whether Denmark could give US arms from its own stocks as part of the scheme, Rasmussen said: 'We don't have these kind of systems - the Patriot systems - so if we should lean in, and we are absolutely ready to do so, it will be (with) money and we have to work out the details.' European ministers said they would now need to examine how new purchases of US weapons could be paid for. In many cases, that seems likely to involve countries teaming up to buy US weapons systems. "Now we need to see how together we can go in and finance, among other things, Patriots, which they plan to send to Ukraine," Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told Swedish radio. In Brussels, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country is looking into the plan 'with a positive inclination'. Asked about the scheme, Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Sandvik told Reuters that Oslo was 'in close dialogue with Ukraine' on military aid and 'air defence remains a high priority for Ukraine and for the Norwegian military support'. 'Norway has contributed to significant amounts of air defence for Ukraine, including co-financing the donation of a Patriot system and missiles,' he said. The Finnish Defence Ministry said Helsinki 'will continue to provide material support to Ukraine'.