News Feed

'Stop fueling Russia's aggression' — US, China clash over Ukraine at United Nations

3 min read
'Stop fueling Russia's aggression' — US, China clash over Ukraine at United Nations
Geng Shuang, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), speaks at the UN Security Council meeting on February 13, 2025 in New York City. (Wang Fan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

The United States on July 25 urged China to stop enabling Russia's war in Ukraine during a United Nations Security Council meeting, prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which accused Washington of shifting blame and creating confrontation.

"If China is sincere in calling for peace, it should stop fueling Russia's aggression," acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said at the U.N. Security Council meeting

According to Reuters, the acting U.S. ambassador called on all countries — explicitly naming China — to halt exports of dual-use goods to Russia, which are sustaining Moscow's weapons production and fueling its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.

"Beijing's claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual-use goods falls apart in the face of daily recovery of Chinese-produced components in the drones, weapons, and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine," Shea said.

China's deputy U.N. Ambassador Geng Shuang rejected the accusations, insisting Beijing is not a party to the war and has "strictly controlled dual-use materials, including the export of drones."

"We urge the U.S. to stop shifting blame on the Ukraine issue or creating confrontation," Geng said, "and instead play a more constructive role in promoting a ceasefire and peace talks."

Zelensky’s big blunder, explained
For many who came to know Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky only after Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the president’s recent move on anti-graft agencies was jarring. In the early days of the invasion, Zelensky gained hero status after refusing to evacuate as Russian forces closed in on Kyiv. His daily addresses and global appeals rallied Western support and helped secure the military and financial aid that have kept Ukraine afloat. To much of the world, Zelensky became the
Article image

The exchange followed recent reports that Chinese drone engines are being covertly funneled to Russia, circumventing Western sanctions.

Despite its claims to the contrary, China remains one of Russia's closest wartime economic partners. It is Moscow's top crude oil buyer and a major supplier of dual-use goods used in Russia's defense sector.

Earlier this month, the South China Morning Post reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that China "cannot afford" for Russia to lose the war in Ukraine, citing unnamed sources familiar with the exchange.

Ukraine has raised alarms over Beijing's alignment with Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly warned of China's role in prolonging the war and accused it of siding with the Kremlin.

Further highlighting the close ties between Russia and China, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China in September for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Zelensky sets 1,000-daily interceptor drones goal amid surging Russian attacks
Interceptors are designed to detect, track, and neutralize other drones or aerial threats — a capability Ukraine sees as increasingly vital to defend cities from Russian barrages.
Article image
Avatar
Lucy Pakhnyuk

News Editor

News Feed
 (Updated:  )

Explosions rocked Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as Russia launched waves of missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs overnight on July 26. Kharkiv's Kyviskyi district has been hit twice by ballistic missiles.

Show More