2 yıl önce

Kremlin: China will back Russia on security concerns over Ukraine

Russia and China are on the same page regarding Russia's security concerns, signalling a "new era" for international relations.

Reuters Archive

Putin will visit Beijing on Friday, the opening day of the Winter Olympics.

The Kremlin has said that China would back Russia over its security concerns with the West when President Vladimir Putin visits for the opening of the Winter Olympics this week.

Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are on the same page on global security ahead of Putin's visit to Beijing on Friday, Kremlin's top foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday.

"A joint statement on international relations entering a new era has been prepared for the talks," he said, adding that it will reflect Moscow and Beijing's "common views" on security among other issues.

"China supports Russia's demands for security guarantees," Ushakov added.

Western leaders have accused Russia of amassing over 100,000 troops on its borders with pro-Western Ukraine and preparing for a potential invasion, which they warned would be met with "severe consequences".

Russia denies any plans to invade, instead accusing the West of failing to respect Moscow's security concerns on its borders.

Door still open for talks

Russian officials have put forward a series of demands to ease tensions, including bans on Ukraine joining NATO and on the deployment of missile systems near Russia's borders.

The demands also include a pullback of the US-led military alliance's forces in Eastern Europe.

In his first major remarks on the crisis in weeks, Putin on Tuesday accused the West of ignoring Russia's demands and suggested Washington was using Kiev as an instrument to potentially drag Moscow into a war.

Putin left the door open to talks, however, saying he hoped that "in the end we will find a solution".

The US and NATO have provided written responses to Moscow's demands, which Putin said he is studying. The proposals remain firm on insisting that Ukraine and any other country has a right to apply to join the alliance.

But the reported US response suggests "reciprocal commitments ... to refrain from deploying offensive ground-launched missile systems and permanent forces with a combat mission in the territory of Ukraine."