Simply “Support UN Charter”
Baerbock holds China accountable for the peace plan
02/23/2023, 8:22 p.m
China announces its own proposals for a “political solution” to the war in Ukraine. However, Western countries are skeptical about this given China’s proximity to Russia. Foreign Minister Baerbock is therefore appealing to Beijing to follow the UN resolution.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on China to follow up on its announcements with action and to present a peace plan to settle the Ukraine conflict under the umbrella of the UN Charter. This is necessary because China, as a member of the UN Security Council, not only has veto rights, “but as a member has a special responsibility to restore world peace,” said the Green politician on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “That’s why a real peace plan, which China supports, would be absolutely necessary.”
“The easiest way for China would be to support the United Nations Charter, to recognize the right to self-defense and, above all, to make it clear to Russia that the ban on the use of force applies to all countries in the world,” Baerbock demanded of Beijing. That will be done this Friday at the special session of the UN Security Council to mark the anniversary of the Russian invasion, where China will be represented as a permanent member.
Baerbock defended Germany’s decision to deliver modern Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine against Russian accusations that German tanks would use them to fire on Russian soldiers like in World War II. None of the global appeals to Russia have brought about changes in Russian President Vladimir Putin. “That’s why what we can do to protect people in Ukraine from further murder, rape and torture is also to deliver arms.”
China’s UN representative Dai Bing said in New York that arms deliveries would not create peace, but only fuel the war. He did not present Beijing’s eagerly awaited peace plan for Ukraine, but called for the conflict to calm down. There must be direct talks between Moscow and Kiev again as soon as possible. Dai repeated the announcement that Beijing would present a position paper on the political solution to the Ukraine crisis.