Taking advantage of the fact that the United States is busy with internal problems, China and Germany are trying to seize the initiative in international relations.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert influence over russia to end the war in Ukraine, adding that both leaders rejected attacks on nuclear facilities. Speaking on economic issues, Scholz said Europe wanted to reduce risks, intensify existing contacts and build new ones.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germanys-scholz-i-asked-chinas-xi-pressure-russia-stop-war-2024-04-16/Chinese President Xi Jinping called on "all sides to work together" to restore peace as soon as possible and "prevent the conflict from getting out of control." China supports all efforts for a peaceful settlement, as well as the holding of an international peace conference recognized by both russia and Ukraine with equal participation of all parties, Xi told Scholz. He wants a "fair discussion of all proposals" to take place.
https://expres.online/podrobitsi/si-tszinpin-skazav-sholtsu-yakoyu-vin-bachit-mirnu-konferentsiyu-shchodo-ukrainiChina's public statements are always vague and it is quite difficult to find any alternative to official information. Even an article that appeared recently in The Economist can also be considered a reflection of the official position, because author Feng Yujun is a professor at Peking University and Deputy Dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. He says that russia is sure to lose in Ukraine and the war has strained Sino-russian relations.
Four main factors will influence the course of the war. The first is the level of resistance and national unity shown by Ukrainians, which has until now been extraordinary. The second is international support for Ukraine, which, though recently falling short of the country’s expectations, remains broad. The third factor is the nature of modern warfare, a contest that turns on a combination of industrial might and command, control, communications and intelligence systems. One reason russia has struggled in this war is that it is yet to recover from the dramatic deindustrialisation it suffered after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The final factor is information. When it comes to decision-making, Vladimir Putin is trapped in an information cocoon, thanks to his having been in power so long.
https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2024/04/11/russia-is-sure-to-lose-in-ukraine-reckons-a-chinese-expert-on-russia At the same time, he in every possible way justifies China's policies and actions and denies supporting кussia, noting that China is simply continuing previous relations and trade. This is fully in line with China's position of putting its own interests above all else.
A lack of air defense missiles prevented Ukraine from thwarting a russian missile attack last week that destroyed the biggest power plant in the region around the capital Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy's comments, which follow repeated warnings from his government to its allies about scarce air defences, reflect the dire situation Ukraine finds itself in as russia scales up strikes on its energy system. "There were 11 missiles flying. We destroyed the first seven, and four (remaining) destroyed Trypillia. Why? Because there were zero missiles. We ran out of missiles to defend Trypillia," he said in the interview with PBS.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-it-ran-out-missiles-stop-russian-strike-ruining-power-station-2024-04-16/Great Britain avoids escalation in Europe - this is how the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom, David Cameron, explained the fact that British troops do not help repel russian air attacks, as in the case of Israel, when British Air Force took part in repelling an Iranian attack.
https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-cameron-brytania-drony-ukraina-izrail/32906200.htmlUS Vice President Kamala Harris, during a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February, warned against attacking russian oil refineries. This tactic, according to American officials, could lead to an increase in global energy prices and provoke russia to even more aggressive behavior in Ukraine. However, Harris' words provoked an unexpected reaction from the Ukrainian leader: this request angered Zelenskyi and his colleagues, who considered it an intervention in a difficult war with a better-armed opponent.
According to The Washington Post, Zelensky, who was unsure whether the recommendation reflected the general view of the Biden administration, rejected it. But Washington soon reinforced that warning in numerous conversations with Kyiv, including through National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who visited Ukraine in March, and other senior US defense and intelligence officials.
But instead of tacitly acceding to U.S. requests, Ukraine doubled down on its strategy, striking a variety of russian targets, including an April 2 attack on russia's third-largest oil refinery 800 miles from its border. These developments have deepened tensions in Ukraine's relations with the United States, as Kyiv awaits a congressional decision on a long-awaited $60 billion aid package while russian troops push through Ukrainian positions along the front line.
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