European Union trusts in China’s deterrent role in the face of Russian nuclear exercises

The president of the European Commission said this Monday in Paris that she trusts that China will continue to play a deterrent role in relation to nuclear threats from Russia, following an announcement of exercises with weapons of this type by Moscow.

“President Xi [Jinping] played an important role in defusing Russia’s irresponsible nuclear threats and I am confident that it will continue to do so”, said Ursula von der Leyen after a trilateral meeting in the French capital with the Chinese head of state and French President Emmanuel Macron .

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered nuclear exercises that will be carried out in the near future and will involve troops located near the Ukrainian border, in response to the proposal, namely from Macron, to move NATO troops to Ukraine, the Kremlin announced today (presidency Russian).

After the meeting in Paris, Ursula von der Leyen also said that the European Union (EU) expects China to use its influence over Moscow to help end the conflict launched on February 24, 2022, the date the Russian invasion began. from Ukraine.

The head of the community executive and the French leader also asked Beijing to make an effort to limit the delivery to the Kremlin of equipment with dual uses – civil and military – that are used on the battlefield.

Xi Jinping began his first visit to Europe since the Covid-19 pandemic in France today, then heading to Hungary and Serbia, countries considered close to Russia and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.