Deeply alarming: US blasts China for ‘tacit’ support for Russia over Ukraine crisis

The United States attacked China over its ‘tacit’ support for Russia in the Ukraine-Russia standoff, with the looming threat of an invasion in the backdrop.

“Their tacit support, if you will, for Russia is deeply alarming and frankly even more destabilizing to the security situation in Europe,” Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday.

He said that the US did not think Russia’s Vladimir Putin had taken a decision yet to invade neighbouring Ukraine, but it could come ‘with little to no warning’, according to a report by news agency AFP.

Also Read: ‘All elements in place’ for Russia to attack Ukraine, France says

“We still don’t believe that some final decision has been made,” he said, adding, “Military action could happen any day. It is entirely possible that he could move with little to no warning.”

Kirby informed that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to leave for Europe to discuss the matter. 

Austin will hold meetings at NATO headquarters in Brussels and visit Poland, where the United States plans to deploy 3,000 more troops, and Lithuania, he said.

Also Read: Explained: Ukraine not joining NATO so why does Vladimir Putin worry?

Notably, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the US would be shifting its embassy in Ukraine from Kyiv to Lviv due to the ‘dramatic acceleration’ in the stationing of Russian military on Ukraine’s borders. 

“The embassy will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government, coordinating diplomatic engagement in Ukraine. We are also continuing our intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis,” he said, urging US citizens in Ukraine to leave the country, reported AFP. 

Western leaders have voiced concern about the possibility of a Russian attack this week starting with ‘aerial bombings and missile attack’ – a charge that Moscow continues to deny. More than a dozen countries have asked their citizens and diplomats to leave Ukraine as Russia amasses soldiers on its borders. 

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for using diplomatic means to ease tensions between Russia and Ukraine, in the backdrop of an increasing threat of an invasion.

Also Read: British envoy heads to Moscow to try to ease Ukraine crisis

“In Ukraine, (it is necessary) to reduce tensions, and I urge that all issues be addressed exclusively through diplomacy. I pledge to spare no effort to mobilize the international community – and step up our push for peace,” he said at a General Assembly meeting on priorities of work in 2022. 

He said that “the price in human suffering, destruction and damage to European and global security is too high to contemplate”, according to an AFP report.