The High Representative of the Union, Josep Borrell, and US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, underlined, at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday 4 April, transatlantic cooperation, in particular on support for Ukraine.
“US-European Union relations have never been stronger or more important for advancing our shared interests”, Mr Blinken told the media.
“The United States and the EU continue to work in lockstep, together with a broad coalition of partners around the world, to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, its people, its territory, the right to choose its own path”, he added, listing joint work on all aspects of support for Ukraine and in ensuring food and energy security around the world.
“His (Vladimir Putin) newest nuclear gamble – with nuclear weapons moved to Belarus – constitutes a new escalation and poses a direct threat to European security”, Mr Borrell warned, recalling that it came after Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, during which Russians and Chinese agreed on the need not to deploy nuclear weapons abroad.
The High Representative said he had discussed with Mr Blinken China’s role in supporting Russia’s flagrant violation of the UN Charter, adding that they clearly expected a permanent member of the UN Security Council to defend the rules-based international order.
“China has a moral duty to contribute to a fair peace. They cannot be siding with the aggressor, they cannot be militarily supporting the aggression”, explained Mr Borrell, who will visit China next week. He recalled that Beijing’s position on Russia’s atrocities and war crimes would determine “the quality” of EU-China relations (see EUROPE 13153/17). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)