Sehar Timings Mar 29 - Ramazan 18

Lahore
LHR
04:36 AM
Karachi
KHI
05:12 AM
Islamabad
ISB
04:38 AM
Peshawar
PWR
04:42 AM
Quetta
QTA
05:07 AM

News

Biden warns Xi against China backing Russia s war in Ukraine

Putin accuses Ukraine of war crimes: Russian rocket fire hits Kyiv residential block

March 19, 2022 10:21 AM


US President Joe Biden laid out to Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday the "consequences" of any backing for Russia in its war against Ukraine, the White House said, as Beijing showed no sign of joining Western condemnation of the invasion.

The comments came during a nearly two-hour phone call between the leaders of the world's two largest economies, focusing on Ukraine, where China's close ally Russia is in the fourth week of a bloody assault.

The White House said that Biden described to Xi "the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians."

The White House refused to characterize Xi's response to the warning or say how hard Biden pushed him. "It wasn't about making asks, it wasn't about making assessments. It was about having an ongoing dialogue," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

But she said that "is something we'll be watching and the world will be watching."

Beijing was ambiguous about Xi's position after the call.

Chinese state television CCTV reported that Xi said the war was "in no one's interest" and that "state-to-state relations cannot go to the stage of military hostilities."

However, there was no mention of direct criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry laid some responsibility for Russia's invasion of its neighbor to the West.

"The US and NATO should also have dialogue with Russia to address the crux of the Ukraine crisis and ease security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine," the foreign ministry noted.

With the Chinese leader refusing to condemn Putin, Washington fears Beijing could go further, delivering financial and military support to Russia and transforming an already explosive transatlantic standoff into a global dispute.

If that were to happen, not only could China help Russia to weather sanctions and continue the war, but Western governments would face the painful decision of how to strike back at the world's second-biggest economy, likely prompting turmoil on international markets.

Washington is racing to ward off that crisis, both by warning of fallout for China and appealing to Xi's ambitions to be a world player.

China should "understand that their future is with the United States, with Europe, with other developed and developing countries around the world. Their future is not to stand with Vladimir Putin," Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told CNN.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier urged China to use its "leverage" on Moscow.

- China 'balancing competing priorities' -

The Biden-Xi call -- the first since November -- came after US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party's chief diplomat, held what the White House called a "substantial" seven-hour meeting in Rome this week.

Against a backdrop of already intense US-Chinese tensions over Taiwan and trade disputes, the ability or failure of Biden and Xi to come to an understanding on the unfolding mayhem in Europe will reverberate widely.

Xi and Putin symbolically sealed their close partnership when they met last month at the Winter Olympics in Beijing -- just before Putin launched his onslaught on Ukraine.

Since then, Beijing has stood out by refusing to join the international outcry over the invasion, while taking the Russian line in blaming the United States and NATO. Chinese authorities even refuse to refer to the invasion as a "war," again in keeping with Kremlin talking points.

But China has also tried to remain somewhat ambiguous, declaring support for Ukraine's sovereignty.

Brookings Institution fellow Ryan Hass, a former advisor on China to president Barack Obama, said Beijing has to sort through its clashing priorities.

Despite the coziness with Moscow, China -- the world's biggest exporter -- is tightly bound to the United States and other Western economies. It also wants to play a leadership role in the world.

"China's and Russia's interests are not in alignment. Putin is an arsonist of the international system and President Xi sees himself as an architect for remaking and improving the international system," Hass said.

"President Xi is trying to balance competing priorities. He really places a lot of value in China's partnership with Russia but at the same time he does not want to undermine China's relations in the West."

Latest developments

Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

- None dead in theatre bombing: city -

A Russian strike on a theatre sheltering civilians in Ukraine's besieged city of Mariupol badly wounded one person but did not kill anyone, the city's authorities say, in the first casualty tally. 

Earlier Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 130 people had been saved after the bombing on Wednesday but that "hundreds" are still trapped in rubble.

- Putin accuses Ukraine of 'war crimes' -

Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses Kyiv of "war crimes" in a call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, saying that Moscow is doing "everything possible" to avoid civilian deaths in Ukraine.

Macron expresses "extreme concern" over the fate of Mariupol, urging "a lifting of the siege and humanitarian access" to the city.

- Strikes near Lviv airport -

Russian forces destroy an aircraft repair plant near Lviv airport but no one was hurt, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi says on the messaging app Telegram.

The western city is just 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the border with NATO member Poland.

- Kyiv tower blocks hit -

Authorities in the capital Kyiv say one person was killed when a Russian rocket struck residential tower blocks in the northwestern suburbs. They said a school and playground were also hit.

- One dead, one trapped in Kharkiv -

In the eastern city of Kharkiv, Russian strikes demolish the six-storey building of a higher education institution, killing one person and leaving another trapped in the wreckage, officials say.

- 'Dire' situation in east -

The UN warns that humanitarian needs are becoming ever more urgent across eastern Ukraine, with a potentially fatal lack of food, water and medicines in besieged cities such as Mariupol and Sumy.

- Russia claims progress in talks -

Russia's top negotiator at talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky, says that Moscow and Kyiv have brought their positions "as close as possible" on a proposal for Ukraine to become a neutral state.

The Kremlin on Wednesday had said that a neutral Ukraine along the lines of Sweden or Austria was being discussed. But Ukraine rejected the proposal, saying it wanted its security to be guaranteed by international forces.

- G7 leaders convened -

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as current G7 president, invites the leaders of the world's top industrialised countries to a meeting on Ukraine as part of EU and NATO summits next week.

- UK blocks Russia's RT channel -

Britain's broadcasting regulator revokes the licence of Russia's state-funded television channel RT, in the latest international repercussion for Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine.

- 'Extensive' economic fallout -  

The International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other top world lenders warn of "extensive" economic fallout from the Ukraine war and express "horror" at the "devastating human catastrophe".

- IEA urges cut in global oil consumption -

The International Energy Agency urges governments to urgently implement measures to cut global oil consumption within months following supply fears stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

- Russian diplomats expelled -

The three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announce the expulsion of a total of 10 Russian diplomats over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

- 3.25 million refugees -

More than 3.25 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion, the United Nations says, with more than two million crossing the border into Poland.



Most Read

  1. Man murders young sister by smothering her with pillow in Toba Tek Singh Man murders young sister by smothering her with pillow in Toba Tek Singh
  2. Aitchison College students, parents stage protest against principal’s resignation Aitchison College students, parents stage protest against principal’s resignation
  3. Five Chinese among six killed in Shangla suicide bombing Five Chinese among six killed in Shangla suicide bombing
  4. Sahiba meets her father for the first time Sahiba meets her father for the first time
  5. Maaz Safder regrets 4-year relationship with wife Saba Maaz Safder regrets 4-year relationship with wife Saba
  6. ‘Khaie's incredible ending receives rave reviews and big applause ‘Khaie's incredible ending receives rave reviews and big applause

Opinion

  1. IMEC to sabotage CPEC
    IMEC to sabotage CPEC

    By Dr Asif Channer

  2. 1947 TO FORM 47
    1947 TO FORM 47

    By Dr Asif Channer

  3. Beijing wants to further highlight industrial sector in its country and take scientific innovation to new heights....
    Beijing wants to further highlight industrial sector in its country and take scientific innovation to new heights....

    By Ali Ramay

  4. Global race: China will reduce its unnecessary expenses
    Global race: China will reduce its unnecessary expenses

    By Ali Ramay

  5. Channer Pir: The Great Saint of Cholistan
    Channer Pir: The Great Saint of Cholistan

    By Dr Asif Channer

  6. Literate the Religious Illiterate
    Literate the Religious Illiterate

    By Dr Asif Channer