China warned by NATO over support for Russia's Ukraine invasion

"If they do not change their stance, China should be held accountable for supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine," stated NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with the BBC.

According to Stoltenberg, Beijing is trying to "play on both fronts", supporting Russia while maintaining relations with European allies. "This cannot be sustained in the long run," he told the BBC during a visit to Washington, D.C.

When asked what NATO member states can do regarding China's support for Russia, he replied that "there is a discussion" about possible sanctions.

He emphasized that China "shares many technologies, such as microelectronics, which are crucial for Russia's production of missiles, weapons used against Ukraine". "At some point, we should consider some economic costs for Beijing if China does not change its behaviour," he stated.

Some sanctions for supporting Russia are already in place – in May, the United States announced restrictions that would affect about 20 companies based in China.

The authorities in Beijing claim that they do not sell lethal weapons to Russia and "closely monitor the export of dual-use goods by laws and regulations".

Stoltenberg also referred to Vladimir Putin's visits, who was in China in May, and on Tuesday went to North Korea and collaborated with Iran. "Russia is increasingly allying with authoritarian leaders," he emphasized. He recalled that North Korea sent artillery shells to Russia, in exchange for which Russia provided advanced technology for North Korean missiles and their nuclear programme.

NATO Secretary General announced that this year, over 20 NATO member countries will likely spend 2% of GDP on defence – the most since 2014, when this goal was adopted. "This is good for both Europe and America, especially since a significant part of this amount is spent here in the United States," he noted.