Xi Jinping warns Putin against nuclear strike on Ukraine - FT

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has personally warned Russian dictator Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons against Ukraine. It is reported by the Financial Times on Wednesday, July 5.

China, in its public statements, has consistently opposed the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, but many of Kyiv's supporters doubt compliance with such deterrence due to Xi Jinping's partnership with Putin and a "peace plan" that closely coincides with Russian conversations, the newspaper reports. Chinese officials privately credit the Russian leader's conviction to abandon nuclear threats, according to the FT.

“Xi has personally warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, pointing out that Beijing has concerns about the war waged by Russia, even if it offers tacit support to Moscow. That message was transferred during the Chinese leader's state visit to Moscow in March. It was one of Xi's first trips outside China after years of isolation under his zero COVID-19 policy," it said.

An adviser to the Chinese government said that deterring Putin from using nuclear weapons was one of the key ones in China's campaign to restore damaged ties with Europe, since Beijing had disagreements with most of the continent due to Russian aggression, FT reports.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on June 20, U.S. President Joe Biden called Chinese leader Xi Jinping a dictator, speaking about his reaction to the Chinese balloon shot down over the United States earlier in the year.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC protested and called the statement absurd and provocative.

On June 19, CNN reported that Chinese leader Xi Jinping, following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said that the PRC would not supply weapons to the aggressor state of Russia.