EU investigates potential Chinese drone aid to Russian forces
German media report that China may be producing drones for the Russian military. According to information from Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the European Union is investigating indications that Chinese machines are participating in the fighting in Ukraine. The evidence of Beijing's support for the aggressor's army is said to be "credible" and "convincing".
The German FAZ reports that the European Union is investigating the subject of military aid flowing from China to Russia. According to information from officials in Brussels, based on intelligence reports, there are drone factories in China that are then used by the Russian military during the conflict in Ukraine.
Currently, efforts are underway to determine whether there is direct cooperation between China and Russia in the area of military equipment. If this information is confirmed, the European Union will have to take steps - likely involving the imposition of economic sanctions on Beijing.
FAZ reminds us that the European Union has already imposed sanctions on Iran for supplying drones and ballistic missiles to Russia. These have affected, among others, Iranian airlines. On Monday, the Community is expected to take further steps regarding restrictions on Tehran.
Is China supplying drones to Russia? Sources are "credible"
Other media are also describing the information about Chinese support for the Kremlin. The Swiss Tages-Anzeiger claims that the evidence of drone delivery by Beijing is "convincing" and "credible". Details of this matter are not known. However, journalists from Switzerland recall that the Russian company IEMZ Kupol tested a new type of drone called Garpiya-3 in western China. Chinese experts were reportedly involved in the work. This drone is said to be capable of carrying about 50 kilograms of explosives over a distance of around 2,000 kilometres.
At this point, it is not known what Brussels' reaction to these reports will be. Media inform that the dispatch of drones by Beijing would mean crossing a "red line". Various scenarios are being considered, including a ban on entry for some Chinese citizens to the EU, as well as a halt to trade in certain product categories. The problem is that the dependency on the Middle Kingdom is significant enough that the imposition of sanctions would certainly cause some disruptions to the EU market and consumers. "China supports Russia in this aggression. This must have consequences," EU officials, cited by Tages-Anzeiger, state.
China has long supported Russia
China's leader, Xi Jinping, and Russian President and war criminal Vladimir Putin have long cooperated on many fronts. Beijing benefits from cheap raw materials from Russia, such as oil and gas, that do not reach the European market. Both countries are keen on revising the balance of power in the world. They wish to push the United States out of Europe, perhaps break up the European Union, or create a situation where it collaborates with them on terms set by the despots.
Although Beijing has never unequivocally sided with the Kremlin, all diplomatic gestures, including the leaders' talks within the BRICS framework and during bilateral meetings, indicate whom China supports in this conflict. Notably, no representative from Beijing was sent to the peace summit in Switzerland. Western media have for several years described the cooperation of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, labelling it as a new axis of evil.
