NATO countries are profiteering from the Ukraine conflict, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang told reporters on Thursday.
Zhang was asked to comment on the declaration adopted earlier this month at a NATO summit in Washington, which labeled Beijing “a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine.” He dismissed the document as “full of lies and bias.”
“The US-led NATO allies keep fueling the fire and profiteering from the war. NATO needs to reflect on itself, instead of deflecting blame onto China,” Zhang said. He went on to accuse the Western bloc of instigating conflicts around the world.
“From Ukraine to Afghanistan, from Iraq to Libya, it has brought war and disaster to these regions and their people,” Zhang stated, reiterating that Beijing “actively promotes peace talks” between Moscow and Kiev.
Beijing has repeatedly rejected accusations that it is helping Moscow bypass sanctions and is aiding Russia’s defense industry. In February 2023, China proposed a 12-point roadmap to peace and has since made efforts to mediate the conflict during subsequent meetings with Russian and Ukrainian officials.
Russia cited NATO’s continuing expansion eastward and its military cooperation with Kiev as one of the root causes of the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed that Ukraine must become a neutral country and drop its plan to join NATO in order for any potential peace negotiations to succeed.
The Kremlin has also said that “flooding” Ukraine with Western weapons will only lead to further escalation but ultimately will not stop the Russian army.