China must stop supporting Russia if it wants higher relations with the West: NATO chief
Beijing must stop supporting Russia within the war with Ukraine if it wants higher relations with the West, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a visit to Berlin.
“Last year, Russia imported 90% of its microelectronics from China, which are used to make missiles, tanks and aircraft. “China is also working to provide Russia with improved satellite capabilities and imaging,” Stoltenberg said on Thursday.
“China says it wants good relations with the West. At the same time, Beijing continues to foment the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. There can’t be both sides,” said Stoltenberg.
Beijing denies it’s directly supporting Russia in its war in Ukraine but praises its “boundless” friendship with Moscow, and the 2 have strengthened trade and military ties for the reason that start of Western sanctions against Russia over its neighbor's invasion.
Weapons from the brand new arms package will reach Ukraine “in a few days, if not sooner”: Pentagon
According to a report by Ukrainian state media Ukrinform, weapons from the recently approved US military aid package for Kiev price around $60 billion will reach Ukraine in a number of days, the Pentagon said.
“We have already started moving some of the weapons, ammunition and equipment that will be there [in Ukraine] within a few days, if not sooner,” Pentagon spokesman General Patrick Ryder told Ukrinform.
The package, which took numerous time and political wrangling to get through Congress, comes at a vital time for Ukraine as its armed forces fight to regain more territory from Russia.
The Pentagon has already begun supplying weapons and equipment to Ukraine, the report said. The package for Ukraine includes missiles for air defense systems, Stinger missiles, ammunition for HIMARS, NATO-standard artillery shells, military vehicles and extra parts for the equipment supplied in previous deliveries.
Russia expels two Latvian diplomats in retaliation
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday it will expel two diplomats from Latvia in retaliation after the Baltic state ordered a Russian embassy official to be expelled.
Western countries have kicked out lots of of Russian diplomats for the reason that war in Ukraine began, in lots of cases for alleged espionage, and Russia has responded often.
Russia says it could worsen diplomatic relations with the US if its assets are seized
Russia could worsen its diplomatic ties with the US if Washington seizes its frozen assets, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday.
The United States and its Western allies, including the European Union, are considering using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and are discussing how and whether this might be possible.
“We are now studying the optimal form of response, in which countermeasures include measures against the assets of our Western adversaries and in which there are diplomatic response measures,” Ryabkov said, in keeping with a Google translation of quotes published by the federal government, in keeping with the RIA Novosti news agency.
“Reducing the level of diplomatic relations is one of the options,” he added.
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