China should face “a higher cost” for supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine, the EU’s incoming foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has said.
The former Estonian prime minister was speaking to MEPs during a three-hour hearing before she takes office, when she listed Ukraine’s victory as a priority – stronger words than vaguer formulas of support voiced by some EU politicians.
“Victory of Ukraine is a priority for us all; the situation on the battlefield is very difficult,” Kallas told MEPs in her opening remarks. “That is why we must keep on working every day, today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes, and with as much military, financial and humanitarian aid as needed.”
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Perhaps, but OTOH EU might be more dependant on China than the other way round. Either way tariffs and similar aren’t a good prospect for either block. The same goes for USA, of course.
Yes, nobody wants tariffs, but China is already facing them from USA, so they are more at risk.bthe EU won’t want retaliation from China but they also don’t want Russia to continue to affect their economy and stability. China would have to choose and they would choose Europe as they are not natural allies with Russia anyway, and Russia won’t buy much off them. China needs huge amounts of resources, some of which Russia has, but they are moving away from fossil fuels faster than europe and USA and Russia.
China and Russia are not natural allies. Russia is very much afraid of China taking land in the Far East.
Yes, when China first started supporting Russia, much commentary noted that and made the point that Russia was desperate for allies and products and China anted to increase influence, so could use the increased relationship to their advantage to exert control over Russia, through the use of financial tools.
It’s not because they’re “natural allies”, is to disincentivize trade with Russia and therefore propping them up.