China has joined Russia in opposing further Nato expansion as the two countries move closer together in the face of Western pressure, according to the BBC.
It said Moscow and Beijing issued a statement showcasing their agreement on a raft of issues during a visit to China by Vladimir Putin for the Winter Olympics.
The statement comes amid tensions over Ukraine. Putin claims Western powers are using the Nato defence alliance to undermine Russia, while denying that the deployment of some 100 000 Russian troops on the Ukraine border suggests he is planning to invade Moscow’s south-western neighbour and former Soviet republic.
According to the BBC, Putin – who argues that Russians and Ukrainians are ‘one nation’ – has demanded that Ukraine be barred from joining Nato.
Although Ukraine wasn’t mentioned in the joint Russian/Chinese statement, it was clearly hinted at when they both said they opposed the enlargement of the Nato alliance.
The BBC notes that, for China, this is a delicate balance. Beijing has relations with Ukraine – political and economic. Any Russia invasion or military attack there could be damaging for President Xi’s standing.
Earlier in the week, the United States accused Russia of planning to stage a fake Ukrainian attack that it would use to justify an invasion.
Russia denied it was planning to fabricate an attack, and the US did not provide evidence to support the claim.
Moscow said of the US announcement that it was sending more troops to eastern Europe to support Nato allies that the move was ‘destructive’ and showed that its concerns about Nato’s eastward expansion were justified.
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