The secretary-general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, pointed to the crucial role of China's support for Moscow in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Stoltenberg underscored the contradiction in China's stance: "China says it wants to maintain good relations with the West. At the same time, however, Beijing is fuelling the war in Europe. You can't have it both ways."
Stoltenberg mentioned a sharp increase in sales of various kinds of components, such as machine parts and microelectronics, to Moscow. These technologies are applied by Russia to produce military equipment, like missiles, tanks, and aircraft, which are used in the war against Ukraine.
Although no tangible evidence exists to prove China's direct provision of weapons or ammunition to Russia, under Western sanctions, the exports from China to Russia have increased exponentially. According to Western experts, these exports include "dual-use" goods, such as civilian and military supplies.
Speaking about the situation on the ground in Ukraine, Stoltenberg admitted that it is tough for Ukraine because it is short of ammunition and weapons. However, he sounded optimistic about Ukraine's prospects: "Ukraine has suffered setbacks in the theatre of war due to a lack of ammunition and weapons. But it is not yet too late for Ukraine to win."
Stoltenberg also urged NATO member states to support Kyiv's defense capabilities with the supply of more weapons and ammunition, including air defense systems and long-range weapons.
