Paet: China must use its influence to end Russian aggression

TALLINN - Urmas Paet, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, emphasized during a plenary session that China should use its influence to help end Russia's war against Ukraine, stop supplying Russia with goods that can be used in the war, and release political prisoners, including Ilham Tohti.

According to Paet, China has a special responsibility and opportunity to help end the war in Ukraine. "China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and one of Russia's most important economic and political partners."

Therefore, Paet stated, China must use its influence to help end Russia's aggression against Ukraine. "This also means taking a very concrete step: China should not sell or supply goods, components, or technologies to Russia that can be used in the war against Ukraine. If China wishes to contribute to achieving peace, it must ensure that its trade activities do not help Russia continue the war," said Paet.

"China should also respect human rights and release people imprisoned for defending them," Paet said. "Among them is Ilham Tohti, to whom the European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2019. He is serving a life sentence, and his family has not been allowed to visit him since 2017," he added.