Joe Biden will not visit Ukraine on his trip to Europe to reinforce unity of action with NATO allies

The White House confirmed that Joe Biden will not visit Ukraine next week on his trip to Europe, unlike what other European partners have done. It is a journey that aims to strengthen unity of action with NATO allies. In addition, the Chinese embassy in the United States insists that it will continue to support Russia, although it qualifies that without getting more involved.

China’s ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, has said that his country will not send “weapons or ammunition” to Russia or Ukraine. In the wake of all the rumors of China’s alleged support for the Russian invasion, the diplomat said “there is much disinformation about China’s military support for Russia. We deny it. What China is sending is medicine and sleeping bags. We do not send weapons or ammunition to either side”.

In addition, Qin Gang has stated that China “is against the war” and will do “everything necessary to de-escalate this crisis”.

US President Joe Biden also warned on Friday during a video call to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, of the “consequences” he would have for China if he offered “material support” to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. A call that the ambassador defined as “sincere, deep and constructive” and in which apparently Xi “made it very clear” that his country “bets on peace and opposes war”.

Qin Gang was asked about the reason why China does not openly condemn the Russian invasion to what he considers ‘naïve’ to believe that “convictions solve the problem”.

On whether China provides financial support to Russia for the invasion of Ukraine, he only says that the two countries maintain “normal commercial, economic, financial and energy cooperation”.