US discounts any deals that come from Putin-Xi meeting
Mike Brest
Video Embed
The Biden administration has preemptively discounted any proposals that emerge from next week’s meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Chinese Communist Party and the Kremlin both announced on Friday that Xi would travel to Moscow from March 20-22 for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago. The meeting marks a significant moment as the United States is concerned about their growing partnership.
US HASN’T SEEN CHINA PROVIDE LETHAL AID TO RUSSIA, PENTAGON SAYS
“We certainly want to express how concerned we would be about any proposals from the [People’s Republic of China],” National Security Council coordinator John Kirby told reporters on Friday, adding that any deal would be “one-sided and reflect only the Russian perspective.”
He referenced a 12-point peace plan for war in Ukraine, released by China last month, that called for, among other things, a ceasefire that would freeze the battlefield positions in place, effectively solidifying Russia’s gains permanently.
“Again, you look at their 12-point so-called peace plan. It talks about a ceasefire. And a ceasefire now is, again, effectively the ratification of Russian conquest would, in effect, recognize Russia’s names and its attempt to conquer its neighbor’s territory by force, allowing Russian troops to continue to occupy sovereign Ukrainian territory,” Kirby said, explaining that such an agreement would provide Russian forces an opportunity to regroup and resupply before launching new offensives.
“We do not believe that this is a step towards a just and durable peace. And as we’ve all talked about, a just and durable — a sustainable peace has got to be one that is not one-sided and that fully incorporates Ukrainian perspectives and respects the basic idea of sovereignty,” he added, noting that Chinese leaders may raise the idea of a ceasefire to portray themselves as “peacemakers.”
The Chinese government has attempted to remain neutral in conflict while also using Russian talking points in that context, as with the release of the peace plan.
“We just know that there’s a possibility they might raise this idea of a ceasefire and try to couch themselves as peacemakers and, as you know, the only ones calling for the fighting to stop, and as I said, we have deep concerns about that because of what it actually means in terms of benefiting Russia at the expense of Ukraine. So that’s why we’re expressing these concerns even before the visit,” Kirby continued. “Because it would be a classic part of the China playbook.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The U.S. has warned in recent weeks about their growing partnership and the significant consequences it could pose, specifically about the possibility that Beijing could provide Russia with lethal aid, though the Biden administration has yet to see this fear become a reality. U.S. officials have continued to argue that doing so would be against their best interest, but it’s unclear if they agree.
China and Russia released a communique prior to Moscow’s invasion that outlined a wide range of plans for economic and diplomatic cooperation, while last month, Putin welcomed China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to the Kremlin, where the Russian leader described their relationship as “reaching new frontiers.”