Xi Jinping can end Russia's war with "one phone call"

Russia's dependence on China has reached such a point that the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, could end Russia's war against Ukraine "with one phone call", according to the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to Bloomberg.

"Russia is so dependent on China right now... One phone call from President Xi Jinping could solve this crisis," Stubb, 56, said in an interview in Helsinki on Tuesday.

"If he said, 'It's time to start peace talks,' Russia would be forced to do it. It would have no other choice," Stubb believes.

At the same time, he is convinced that China will benefit from the end of Putin's "aggressive and colonial war" against Ukraine.

"He needs to defend international rules related to territorial integrity and sovereignty. This is right. And it will also demonstrate China's leadership," the Finnish president said.

He expressed his disagreement with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's proposal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cease fire against the Russian occupiers who are trying to seize Ukrainian territories and to start negotiations with the bloody dictator Volodymyr Putin.

"At the moment, there is no question of insisting on a ceasefire, real peace talks are needed. The only thing Russia understands is force. And therefore, the more we can help Ukraine now, the sooner we will end the war," he said. 

He called on Europe to strengthen its support for Ukraine and build up its own defense potential. According to Stubb, Ukraine requires both material assistance, particularly financial, and political support, including strengthening the path to membership in both the EU and NATO.

Europe needs to move to a “wartime economy” by consolidating orders for ammunition and weapons to give its defense industry a long-term perspective, he said. Stubb also called on the European Investment Bank, of which he was previously vice president, to go beyond its red lines and start taking a more “bullish” stance on financing the military industry.

"One more thing that Europe needs to do is create a playbook on countering hybrid attacks," the president said.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 03/07/2024