Ukraine called on China on Saturday to join the West in condemning “Russian barbarism,” after the US warned Beijing of repercussions if it supported Moscow’s attack on the country.
“China can be an important component of the global security system if it makes the correct decision to support the coalition of civilized countries and condemn Russian barbarism,” presidential aide Mikhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.
China has remained silent in the international outpouring of condemnation for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, refusing to condemn President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. In a phone call Friday, US President Joe Biden warned Chinese President X Jinping that any support for Russia in its conflict in Ukraine would be costly.
According to the White House, Biden discussed with Xi “the implications and consequences of China providing material aid to Russia as it comes to conducting violent attacks against Ukrainian urban centres and civilians.”
It did not respond to Xi. Xi and Putin met at the Winter Olympics in Beijing last month, just before Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine.