Russia-Ukraine war: UK PM Johnson pressures China over neutral stand; 'sitting on fence'

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called on China to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Boris Johnson encouraged China to come off the fence and denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine along with the rest of the world. The Prime Minister claimed that some in Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration were having "second thoughts" about Beijing's impartial posture in the wake of Russia's actions against its neighbour.

However, despite Johnson's warning of a possible shift in attitude, China slammed NATO again on Saturday as Russian forces continued to shell Ukrainian towns and cities. He stated that as time passes and the number of Russian atrocities rises, he believes it will become increasingly difficult and politically uncomfortable for anyone to condone Putin's invasion, whether actively or passively.

"There are considerable dilemmas now for people who thought they could sit this one out, who thought they could sit on the fence. And, yes, I think that in Beijing you are starting to see some second thoughts," Johnson told the Sunday Times.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden held a two-hour video call with Chinese President Xi, but there was little sign of a shift in Beijing's stance. On Saturday, China's vice foreign minister, Le Yucheng, blamed the war on NATO and criticised Russian sanctions. Notably, on Thursday, leaders of the NATO alliance, including Biden, will meet in Brussels. The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, predicted that the meeting would be "very significant," with new pledges of support for Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, possible. People, according to Johnson, will want to do more to help Ukrainians protect themselves.

Russian invasion brought 30% of the Ukrainian economy to halt

According to Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko, the Russian invasion has brought 30% of the Ukrainian economy to a halt. He stated that the figure was based on preliminary tax payment data. However, due to a drop in tax and customs receipts, the minister stated that the country was still servicing its debt and relying on borrowing.

On Saturday, Ukraine reported it had evacuated 6,623 individuals using humanitarian corridors. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the president's office, stated 4,128 people had been evacuated from Mariupol, which was besieged by Russian soldiers. Furthermore, the UN estimates that nearly 850 people have been murdered since the fighting began.

(With agency inputs)

Image: AP