In a video conference with Chinese, French, and German leaders earlier today, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for ‘Maximum Restraint’ in Ukraine. however, the leader made certain that he did not criticize his new acquaintance, Vladimir Putin directly. He continued his statement by telling German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, that their two countries should continue to work together to alleviate the crisis’ negative impacts. He expressed the “pain” his country is feeling as the conflict continues to escalate, “the flames of war reignite in the West.”
During the meeting, Xi Jinping used his words extremely carefully. China and Russia have been on good terms in the past, however, Putin’s decision to attend the 2022 China Winter Olympics led the two countries to have an even better relationship than they had previously, due to many other countries opposing the Olympics there, due to alleged Human Rights Violations. The Chinese leader refuses to call the attacks on Ukraine an invasion. He also would not acknowledge disapproval for Russia’s actions taken on Ukraine. The Chinese leader continued to defend the Soviet Country by expressing his objections towards the sanctions being placed on Russia and even went as far as to say they were illegal.
He expressed China’s fears that the sanctions being placed on Russia will have a tremendous negative impact on the world economy, energy supplies, transportation, and supply networks. Russia promised if the West were to withdraw themselves from buying Russian oil, it will close its main gas pipeline to Germany if the West bans Russian oil. If this were to happen it would disrupt the energy chain that took so long to perfect. Jinping believes that this conflict could have the potential to ‘spin out of control’ and believes it’s China, France, and Germany’s job to keep the ‘worrying’ conflict as civil as possible, with the least amount of repercussions once the conflict is concluded.
