According to Jyri Lavikainen of the Foreign Policy Institute (UPI), the support Russia has received has been small so far. With the “salami slicing tactic”, China is careful not to clearly cross the borders.
President of China Xi Jinping will be visiting Russia from the beginning of the week. The countries have become closer economically since Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago.
So far, China has said that it has a neutral attitude towards the situation in Ukraine and has denied that it has provided armed assistance to Russia.
Based on statistics obtained by Politico magazine (you will switch to another service) however, Chinese companies have supplied Russian companies with 1,000 assault rifles and other material suitable for military purposes, such as drone parts and bulletproof vests, since the start of the war.
It is not known whether, for example, rifles delivered from China have been used in battles in Ukraine. At least there have been sightings of Chinese drones for months (you switch to another service).
If China provides armed aid to Russia, it is done quite secretly, and China does not want to highlight the issue, Director of the Foreign Policy Institute (UPI) Mika Aaltola says in the morning.
– China’s fear is the tightening of Western sanctions when possible arms aid is revealed. Dependence on China is extensive, so Europe and Finland should be prepared for the consequences of tightening, says Aaltola.
Researcher at UPI Jyri Lavikainen according to which Russia needs help to win the war. It is known that Russia has had to use its old warehouses.
So far, the support Russia has received has been small.
– If a western country gave rifles and bulletproof vests to Ukraine at this stage, it would be criticized because it is so little, Lavikainen says.
Western countries themselves have initially assisted Ukraine with small amounts of weapons. Lavikainen calls this the “salami slicing tactic”.
– The salami stick is sliced into such small pieces that you can’t really say at any point that the limit has now been crossed.
The foreign and defense ministers of the EU countries are seeking political blessing in Brussels today, Monday, for an initiative according to which the member states could replenish Ukraine’s ammunition stocks from their own warehouses and acquire ammunition through joint procurement.
EU countries Poland and Slovakia have also said they will donate MiG fighters to Ukraine.
The delivery of Soviet-made fighters is a relatively easier decision because it can be done without the official consent of the United States, in contrast to the F-16 fighters, says Lavikainen.
– This is yet another slice of salami. In addition, at least Slovakia’s fighters are decommissioned, it is easy to get rid of them.
Watch the entire broadcast here.
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