During a press conference in Tallinn on Feb. 24, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cast doubt on China's proposed peace plan for Ukraine, pointing to China's failure to explicitly condemn the Russian invasion.
He called signs that China might be considering supplying lethal aid to Russia a "cause for concern," adding that it would be supporting an illegal invasion that violates international law.
On Feb. 24, China's Foreign Ministry released a 12-point statement that detailed Beijing's stance on achieving a "political settlement" to resolve Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
The plan emphasizes the importance of respecting the sovereignty of all nations, protecting nuclear facilities, facilitating grain exports, and safeguarding the welfare of civilians and prisoners of war.
China has pledged to "continue" playing a constructive role in facilitating this outcome.
However, the statement also urges the abandonment of "Cold War mentality" and "unilateral sanctions," terms that Beijing often uses to criticize the West's response to the war.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield called the possibility of China aiding the Russian war effort would be crossing "a red line" in an interview with CNN on Feb. 19.
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