Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the US should be more attentive to Russia’s security concerns while urging the Russians to show restraint over the tensions developing at the Ukraine border.

Wang Yi’s comments came during a telephone call between Beijing and US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. The stance was clear “Russia’s reasonable security concerns should be taken seriously and resolved”, as Reuters reported. 

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During the same conversation, he also urged that countries should not act irrationally about the situation. Wang Yi said, “We call on all parties to remain calm and refrain from doing things that agitate tension and hype up the crisis”. 

Meanwhile, Blinken, after the call, urged Russia to soften its stance. His statement, posted by the State Department reads, “Secretary Blinken underscored the global security and economic risks posed by further Russian aggression against Ukraine and conveyed that de-escalation and diplomacy are the responsible way forward”. 

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Wang Yi suggested returning to the Minsk Agreement, the starting point, to resolve the Ukraine issue. He continued, “The new Minsk Agreement, which was approved by the Security Council, is a fundamental political document recognized by all parties and should be effectively implemented. As long as efforts are made in line with the direction and spirit of the agreement, China will support them.”

The talks come at a time when Russia poses a serious threat of invasion to Ukraine. Around 10,000 troops have amassed at the border, even as Moscow has denied any possibility of an attack. Ukraine too has urged calm, saying that there is no evidence that the Vladimir Putin-led government will launch an immediate attack. 

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However, Moscow has locked horns with NATO regarding Ukraine and eastern Europe by extension. They have demanded that the organization block Ukraine’s entry and reduce its military presence in the region. The USA, which heads NATO, has rejected the proposal. Further, the Joe Biden-led government has alerted troops. 

Other NATO countries have also sent additional reinforcements to Ukraine, while the European Union has issued aid for Ukraine.