Ukraine calls on China to condemn Russian ‘barbarism’

Ukraine has called on China to join the West in condemning the Russian invasion, after the country has sought to keep a diplomatic distance from the war.

“China can be an important element in the global security system, if it makes the right decision – to support the coalition of civilised countries and condemn the barbarism of Russia.” Ukrainian presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

China earlier chose to abstain in a UN vote condemning Russia’s invasion, and US officials said “recently that China had signalled a willingness to provide military assistance to Russia.”

In a two-hour phone call with China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday, US President Joe Biden said that any support provided to Russia by Beijing would be costly.

The US’s leverage over China is limited, however, and readouts from both sides suggest the call didn’t achieve much.

BBC /Shakirat Sadiq