Chinese Foreign Minister, US Secretary of State Blinken discuss Ukraine

BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed tensions in Ukraine during a phone call on Tuesday, according to official statements from both the United States and China. .

Just a few hours before the call, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin ordered troops into two breakaway regions of Ukraine after recognizing their independence. Movement drew condemnation from Western leaders, who pushed for a diplomatic solution.

“The situation in Ukraine is getting worse” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement about Wang’s call with Blinken. It said the problems surrounding Ukraine were closely related to the delayed implementation new Minsk agreement.

That refers to a conflict reduction agreement signed in 2015 by representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and pro-Russian separatists.

“The Chinese side once again urges all parties to exercise restraint, recognize the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, defuse the situation, and resolve differences through dialogue,” he said. and negotiate,” China’s foreign ministry said in a Chinese-language statement translated by CNBC.

Earlier in the day, the US State Department announced that Wang and Blinken held a phone call to discuss North Korean and Russian aggression towards Ukraine.

“The minister stressed the need to preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. brief statement.

Putin meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing before the Winter Olympic Games in the city. After the meeting, the two leaders distributed a lengthy statement does not mention Ukraine by name, but opposed the “further expansion” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Ukraine wants to join the powerful military alliance, but Russia has objected, saying such a move would be a direct threat to its borders. An attack on one NATO member is considered an attack on all member states.

The 17-day Winter Olympic Games ended on Sunday.

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