UKRAINE FM ASKS CHINA TO BE SECURITY GUARANTOR, SAYS REPORT

BEIJING: Ukraine’s foreign minister has asked China to provide security guarantees for Kyiv, in a lengthy interview containing some of the most direct criticisms of Moscow recently published by Beijing’s state media.

Western powers and Ukraine have repeatedly urged China to condemn Russia’s invasion as it tries to maintain a supposedly neutral stance, with the United States threatening consequences if Beijing provides military or economic support to Moscow.

“Ukraine is currently studying the possibility of acquiring security guarantees from permanent members of the UN Security Council, including China, and other major powers,” Dmytro Kuleba was quoted as saying by official news agency Xinhua.

“We propose that China becomes one of the guarantors of Ukraine’s security, this is a sign of our respect and trust in the People’s Republic of China.”

China in 2013 pledged to provide Ukraine with “security guarantees” if it is ever invaded or threatened with nuclear attack, but appeared evasive on the same issue in the wake of Russia’s attack.

In response to a question about the guarantee last month, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman suggested that such “security assurances have clear limitations on the content and are triggered under specific conditions”, in reference to a similar United Nations security resolution on non-nuclear states.

In the Xinhua interview, Kuleba also accused Russia of having “compromised” Beijing’s signature Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, warning that the consequences of the global food security crisis would threaten China’s economy.

Meanwhile, Chinese regulators held an emergency meeting with domestic and foreign banks to discuss how they could protect China’s overseas assets from US-led sanctions similar to those imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, The Financial Times reported, citing sources.