It's over: China has chosen sides?

It's over: China has chosen sides?

He strongly urged Beijing to desist from violating international law.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also said in an interview with the Associated Press that the alliance, although not a party to the war, will support Ukraine "as long as necessary."

Asked if NATO had any indication that China might be ready to provide arms or other support to Russia's war effort, Stoltenberg said: "We have seen some signs that they may be planning to do so, and of course the NATO allies, the United States, warned about it because it should not happen. China should not support Russia's illegal war".

Stoltenberg said that potential Chinese aid to Russia would represent "(direct) support for a clear violation of international law, and of course (as) a member of the United Nations Security Council, China should not in any way support violations of the UN charter or international regulations."

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the Chinese Communist Party's top foreign policy official, Wang Yi, today, raising concerns in the West that Beijing may be ready to offer Moscow stronger support in the nearly year-old war in Ukraine.

China has pointedly refused to criticize the invasion of Ukraine, repeating Moscow's claim that the US and NATO are to blame for provoking the Kremlin. China, Russia and South Africa are holding naval exercises in the Indian Ocean this week.

Stoltenberg spoke to the Associated Press in Warsaw after the meeting of the nine NATO members from the eastern flank - the "Bucharest Nine Summit" with US President Joe Biden on the security of the region.

He emphasized that, although NATO is "not a party" to the Ukrainian conflict, its tasks are to "ensure that Ukraine prevails" and to "prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine and becoming a full-scale war between Russia and NATO."

He said that the main message from the meeting in Warsaw was "that we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes."

"It would be a tragedy for Ukrainians if President Putin wins in Ukraine," Stoltenberg said, but it would be "dangerous for all of us" because "it would send a message to all authoritarian leaders that when they use military force, they get what they want."