Western envoys to China lambast Russia over its war in Ukraine at Beijing forum

Russia-Ukraine war is “greatest threat to world order”, United States Ambassor to China R Nicholas Burns said while criticising Moscow’s “special” military operation in Kyiv, at a forum in Beijing on Monday. In a rare event at World Peace Forum in Chinese capital, Burns was seated just next to ir Russian counterpart for diplomatic debate in panel. Both US and Russian ambassors to China went he-to-he in discussion hosted by Beijing’s Tsinghua University and World Peace Forum.

Burns said, “ fact that Russia crossed border with an armed force, unprovoked, and has started this war with so much human suffering, so many innocent civilians de in Ukraine — this is a direct violation of United Nations charter, it is a direct violation of what Russian Federation signed up to when it became a member state”, according to CNN.

While Russia has limited public statements about its war in Ukraine since February 24, Russian Ambassor to China Andrey Denisov immediately hit back at his US counterpart and said, “I totally disagree and I can oppose each and every sentence of that intervention” before pausing for a “diplomatic courtesy”. Denisov n wished Burns and or Americans a happy Fourth of July. 

ditionally, Russian Ambassor to China accused NATO of provoking Moscow's action with “five waves of expansion”. As per report, Russian envoy n went on to paint image of current world order being on edge of an abyss due to “sabotage” of United Nations (UN).

UK’s ambassor to China blames Russia for war

discussion also included UK’s ambassor to China Caroline Wilson and France’s Laurent Bili. While diplomatic event was a rare occurrence, Western officials staunchly criticised Russian invasion of Ukraine which continues unabated. Echoing similar remarks as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Wilson told panel, “ prime responsibility for war is with Russia” and ded, “NATO is a purely defensive alliance. NATO has acted with extraordinary restraint regarding Russia”.

It must be noted here that yje Chinese Communist Party has neir denounced Russia’s actions nor did it call it an invasion. However, while appearing to maintain distance from Russia over potential sanctions from West, Chinese state media has presented a carefully worded version of war to its citizens, as per report. China has parroted Kremlin talking points on NATO. 

Image: AP