Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Lavrov had briefed Wang on the evolution of the situation in Ukraine and Russia’s position, saying that the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have broken their commitments.
Lavron also alleged that they continuously expanded eastward, refused to implement the new Minsk agreement and violated the UN Security Council Resolution 2202.
The Russian envoy added that Russia was forced to take necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests.
Noting that China has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Wang said that China recognises the complex and special historical context of the Ukraine issue and understands Russia’s legitimate security concerns.
However, China maintains that the Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned and a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism should be finally established through dialogue and negotiation, Wang said.
