European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell on Monday warned China against supplying arms or ammunition to Russia.

The Spanish diplomat said that in this case he would cross the “red line” of the European Union, at the council of foreign ministers, which discussed the further mission of military support to Ukraine, just 24 hours before the expiration of a year from the moment the Russian army invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022 .

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken accused China of “considering” providing Russia with “deadly aid” in an interview and that Washington was concerned about the possibility that Beijing would indeed continue to supply arms.

If it were so Beijing will cross the “red line” set by the EU about relations with China, Mr. Borrell told the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels yesterday, adding that he had discussed the matter with Mr. Blinken and senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi.

He stressed that he expressed “strong concern” to Mr. Wang and specifically asked Beijing not to supply weapons to Russia. “He told me they were not going to do it,” he added, “but we will remain vigilant.”

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday dismissed the scenario of Beijing supplying weapons to Moscow, stressing that “we do not accept US criticism of relations between China and Russia, much less pressure and coercion,” and accused Washington of “spreading false information.” “.

In Brussels, the European ministers stressed that it is necessary to intensify efforts to replenish the reserves of the Ukrainian army.

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu warned that Ukraine was “running out of shells”, adding that Tallinn was in favor of sending 1 million 155mm shells worth 4 billion euros to be purchased jointly by member states.

Reinsalo added that Russia uses as many shells in Ukraine every day as the EU produces every month, which he called “absolutely unacceptable.”

Source: RES-IPE