China sides with Russia on Ukraine crisis at UN Security Council meeting

China's permanent representative to the UN Zhang Jun sided with Russia at a meeting of the Security Council on the issue of the conflict in Ukraine. The United States should stop sending weapons to Kyiv and let diplomacy work, the official said.

The statement from the Chinese Ambassador to the UN was voiced against the backdrop of reports about Moscow's interest in a diplomatic dialogue that would help bring the conflict in Ukraine to an end. The parties to the conflict should abide by the Minsk Agreements to settle the conflict in Ukraine. This is a legally binding document should be fully and effectively implemented by all parties concerned, the Chinese official said.

The diplomat also said that the security of one country cannot be achieved at the expense of the security of other countries, whereas regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military groups.

"Security interests of all countries are equal to each other,” Zhang Jun noted.

The Permanent Representative also urged NATO to stop making threats. The military alliance should "wake up from the illusion of force and stop hyping up threats and war rhetoric," he said.

Earlier, in January, the head of the Chinese Ministry of Defence Dong Jun said during negotiations with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that Beijing would support Moscow's position on the Ukraine issue despite pressure from the West and attempts to isolate Russia in the international arena.